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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24068485">Comparing Your Past to My Future</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/puck1919/pseuds/puck1919'>puck1919</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Take On Me [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, FOWL, Gen, Gosalyn Starling - Freeform, Gyro Gearloose is former FOWL, SHUSH, Wolfram &amp; Hart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 19:41:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,572</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24068485</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/puck1919/pseuds/puck1919</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Darkwing is on the brink of uncovering a FOWL conspiracy when Drake Mallard is arrested for kidnapping Gosalyn. Fenton and Della have to pull the team together to solve the mystery of a classified government project that FOWL stole decades ago, and why Drake and Gosalyn might be the only ones that know its secret. The only ones alive, that is.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Della Duck &amp; Donald Duck, Drake Mallard &amp; Gosalyn Mallard, Drake Mallard &amp; Launchpad McQuack, Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera/Drake Mallard, Gandra Dee &amp; Gyro Gearloose, Gosalyn Mallard &amp; Negaduck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Take On Me [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1688977</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Something To Do With You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon<br/>After all I knew, it had to be something to do with you"<br/>— 3 Doors Down, "Kryptonite"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Darkwing dashed under a cubicle desk to hide from a passing security guard. Breaking into a law firm at 2:30 in the morning was not something that Drake Mallard thought he’d ever get used to. As Darkwing, the thought that he <em> shouldn’t </em> didn’t even occur to him. He slowed his breathing to be inaudible as the flashlight beam of the guard passed by. The large goat guard paused as he walked by. Darkwing held a hand over his beak to keep himself from making any noise. The guard passed by and went into the staircase. Darkwing sighed and got out from under the desk. </p><p>The northwest corner office of the 12th floor of Wolf, Ram, and Hart Legal Counseling was occupied by Taurus Bulba, a junior partner of the firm. Darkwing picked the lock on the door and snuck in, shutting the door behind him. </p><p>“Okay,” he muttered. “Now if I were a secret file about covering up police corruption, where would I hide..?”</p><p>The furniture in the office was centered around a large, antique desk. It was solidly built, made from a dark wood and constructed for someone easily a foot or two taller than Darkwing. He started opening the drawers, careful to dampen the sound of wood scraping wood. On the side of one of the file drawers, someone had taped a manila folder.</p><p>Darkwing smirked. “Not so sharp after all.” </p><p>He opened the folder and pulled out the files. He opened the first one and a photo fell to the desk.</p><p>“Gyro?”</p><p>The file went on to describe Dr. Gyro Gearloose, containing surveillance pictures of him going to and leaving the lab— all of them watermarked with the FOWL logo. Towards the back of the file were pictures of something labeled “The Ramrod” and had severely redacted, obviously government papers attached. He looked at the other files. One was on Gandra, who he already knew was former FOWL, and one on Gizmoduck. He scoured through the Gizmoduck file. There was no mention of Det. Cabrera or Drake, which was some relief, but they had pictures of Gizmoduck without his helmet. Huey was in there, which was concerning, as was Mark Beaks, which was less so. Then Darkwing found his own file, which didn’t have much in it, thankfully. There were more references to “The Ramrod” when they were looking into “Drake Mallard” for some reason, and Jim Starling’s mugshot was attached to a page almost entirely redacted except for the words “Dr. Starling”.</p><p>He pulled out his phone and took pictures of everything. He could see the guard coming out of the stairwell and put the files back in the folder before dashing under the desk as the guard opened the door to the office. The flashlight passed through the room. Darkwing threw out a smoke bomb and the office filled with purple smoke. The guard stepped back, coughing and Darkwing made a break for the stairs. </p><p>The guard chased him up to the roof. Darkwing ran to the edge of the building and looked down to the street. 20 stories would make him a <em> lovely </em>streak on the pavement... </p><p>He turned to face the guard.</p><p>“End of the line,” the guard said, drawing a gun.</p><p>Darkwing looked back to the edge, looking for the angles. </p><p>And he jumped. </p><p>He hit something halfway through the air. Hands grabbed him by the arms and he was moving sideways? He looked up to see who had grabbed him.</p><p>“You knew I was going to be there, right?” Gizmoduck asked.</p><p>“...Sure, let’s go with that,” Darkwing said.</p><p>He could <em> feel </em> Fenton roll his eyes under the visor.</p><p>“Okay, I know I’m getting a lecture, can it wait until we land?” Drake asked.</p><p>“Fine,” Fenton said. </p><p>They landed on the roof of their apartment building and Fenton climbed out of the armor. </p><p>“What were you thinking?” Fenton asked.</p><p>“Well—”</p><p>“You jumped off a building!” Fenton said, starting to pace. “Did you have <em> any </em> plan on how you were going to not die?”</p><p>“I figured getting away from the <em> gun </em> would—”</p><p>“This is the third time this week where you’ve had <em> no </em> exit strategy!” he continued. “You could have at least <em> told </em> me you were going to be doing this tonight, as opposed to me finding out when you were just <em> gone</em>.”</p><p>“I didn’t—”</p><p>“But that would have meant a conversation about <em> why </em> you were breaking into law offices in the middle of the night,” Fenton said. “Which I <em> cannot </em>believe that—”</p><p>“Your mother asked me to,” Drake said, crossing his arms.</p><p>Fenton opened and closed his beak a few times, stammering out the beginnings of words before settling on a general noise of confusion.</p><p>“Look, there’s obvious corruption in Duckburg PD,” Drake said. “She wanted me to find evidence of a cover-up.”</p><p>“Why did she ask <em> you</em>?” Fenton said.</p><p>“Because I don’t work within the law,” Drake said. “And even if she can’t put it in front of a jury, evidence that Jim was <em> knowingly </em> moved to facilitate a break out would be enough to get some people fired.”</p><p>Fenton sighed. “Drake, what happens to Gosalyn if something happens to you? If I’m not there to catch you?”</p><p>Drake stepped forward and kissed him. </p><p>“I always know when you’re there to catch me,” he said. </p><p>Fenton threw his arms around Drake’s shoulders and kissed back.</p><p>“Please don’t scare me like that again,” Fenton said.</p><p>“You know I can’t promise that,” Drake said.</p><p>“Then lie to me,” he said.</p><p>Drake pulled him close. “We’re safe now. We’re done. We can rest.”</p><p>Fenton rested his head on Drake’s shoulder, sighing. </p><p>“We should get inside,” Drake said. “I have to be in court tomorrow.”</p><p>“And I’m scheduled to fight some Beagle Boys,” Fenton said. “Let me get the armor.”</p><p>Fenton stepped away and Drake took his hand, pulling him back and kissing him again.</p><p>“I love you,” Drake said. </p><p>“I love you, too,” Fenton said.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Drake sat at the defendant’s table, drumming his fingers on the arm of the chair. His phone buzzed. He opened it to a text from Fenton.</p><p>
  <em> Ma’s on her way w/ Gos. Good luck today, love you &lt;3 </em>
</p><p>Drake smiled. A raven in a white pantsuit walked up to him. </p><p>“Mr. Mallard?” she asked. “Hi, I’m Erica Ravenwood. I’m your attorney.”</p><p>“Hey.” He stood, shaking her hand. “Thank you for coming, but I didn’t—”</p><p>“Mr. McDuck hired me,” she said. “He said you would need help covering your legal fees.”</p><p>“Oh, wow, that’s... he didn’t need to do that,” Drake said.</p><p>“He said you couldn’t afford me even if he tripled your salary and fronted 10 years worth of paychecks,” she said. “But he also said that I’m the best and you’d been through enough. So, yeah.”</p><p>She smirked.</p><p>“How much did he tell you?” Drake asked. </p><p>“The line I was given was ‘enough to get me on board, not enough to get me killed’,” she said. “Picked a kid off the street, had your cute boyfriend’s cop mom look for her parents, found out her father’s a wanted murderer, and got mugged trying to find her when she ran away. You’re compassionate, caring, you’ve got a steady job, you’re in a serious relationship— I can work with all of this.”</p><p>Drake paused. “Cute boyfriend?”</p><p>“You’d be surprised what people care about,” she said.</p><p>“There isn’t a jury, is there?” he asked.</p><p>“No, but judges are people too,” she said. “Most of them anyways.”</p><p>Gosalyn came running into the courtroom and hugged Drake.</p><p>“Hey sweety,” he said. “Look at that, you got all dressed up.”</p><p>Gosalyn nodded, stepping back and smoothing out her skirt.</p><p>“M’ma made me,” she said. “She said I had to dress nice for court.”</p><p>Det. Cabrera walked into the courtroom, breathing heavy.</p><p>“I <em> also </em> said not to run in a dress,” she said. “Hello, I’m Detective—”</p><p>“Gloria Cabrera, Duckburg PD,” Erica said. “Erica Ravenwood, I’m representing Mr. Mallard.”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Drake said. “She’s Fenton’s mother.”</p><p>“Ah,” Erica said. “Great. We can get started as soon as Fenton can be here.”</p><p>“Fenton has to work,” Drake said. “The Beag—”</p><p>Det. Cabrera elbowed him.</p><p>“<em>Beakers</em>,” he corrected. “The beakers aren’t going to clean themselves.”</p><p>Erica nodded. “That’s okay.”</p><p>“Drake, a moment?” Det. Cabrera said. </p><p>She pulled him aside. </p><p>“Were you able to find anything?” she asked.</p><p>“I found <em> something</em>,” Drake said, pulling out his phone and handing it to her. “I’m just not sure what it is I found. I don’t think it has anything to do with what you’re after.”</p><p>She nodded.</p><p>“If I can, I’d like to prep you for what is going to happen,” Erica said.</p><p>Drake looked to Gosalyn, who smiled. She took his hand.</p><p>“We’re going to be okay,” she said. </p><p>He gripped her hand. “I know.”</p><p>Capt. Callaham and Det. Falco entered the courtroom along with a brown duck with dark gray hair pulled back into a tight bun. She wore small, round glasses and carried a cane. Det. Cabrera put Drake’s phone in her back pocket.</p><p>“Captain,” Det. Cabrera said. “Jonny, what the hell?”</p><p>“Sorry, Gloria,” Det. Falco said.</p><p>“Drake Mallard?” Capt. Callaham asked.</p><p>“Yeah?” Drake said.</p><p>“You’re under arrest,” he said, pulling out a pair of handcuffs.</p><p>“Excuse me,” Erica stepped forward. “I’m Mr. Mallard’s attorney, what are the charges against him?”</p><p>“Felony kidnapping of a minor,” Capt. Callaham said. “Mrs. Sanchez brought the charges this morning.”</p><p>Det. Falco looked away as Capt. Callaham handcuffed Drake.</p><p>“Wait, Sanchez..?” Drake looked at the older woman who had come in with the officers. She looked back at him, over the brim of her glasses.</p><p>“María,” Drake said. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>“I came to collect my granddaughter,” she said. </p><p>Drake looked back at Gosalyn, who was hiding behind Det. Cabrera.</p><p>“Mallory,” he said, physically deflating. “María, what happened with Dad <em> wasn’t my fault</em>, you can’t keep—”</p><p>“Don’t say anything else,” Erica said. “I’ll talk with the judge, we can fix this.”</p><p>“Falco, take him to the bailiff,” Capt. Callaham said.</p><p>Det. Falco led Drake to the exit. Gosalyn ran over to Drake and hugged him tightly.</p><p>“It’s gonna be okay, sweety,” he said. “We’re going to fix this.”</p><p>Det. Falco took Drake out of the courtroom.</p><p>“Gosalyn, with me,” María said, holding out her hand.</p><p>“No,” Det. Cabrera said. “Captain, I must insist that Gosalyn stay with a neutral party until Drake’s trial is over.”</p><p>“Detective Cabrera is right,” Erica said. “Staying with Mrs. Sanchez could prejudice the witness.”</p><p>“As could staying with you,” María said. “I will not have it.”</p><p>“She has some friends she could stay with,” Det. Cabrera said. “The Sabrewings. They’d be able to look after her.”</p><p>“Absolutely not,” María said. “I am taking my granddaughter <em> home</em>.”</p><p>“Actually,” Erica said, “you do not have legal custody of Gosalyn either. She was made a ward of the state when Mr. Starling’s custody rights were revoked on account of his arrest and subsequent fugitive status. I can speak with the DA along with your lawyer to find interim housing.”</p><p>María clicked her tongue. “Very well.”</p><p>Det. Falco came back into the courtroom. </p><p>“Falco will go with you,” Capt. Callaham said. “You’ll take her straight to the house.”</p><p>“Yes, <em> sir</em>,” Det. Cabrera said through her teeth.</p><p>Capt. Callaham and María left. Det. Falco turned to Det. Cabrera.</p><p>“Gloria, I—”</p><p>“No,” she said. “Not now.”</p><p>“I’ll get started on fighting this,” Erica said. “I’ll need to talk to Mr. McDuck. Do you want me to tell Fenton?”</p><p>“I’ll tell Fenton,” Det. Cabrera said. “You just... do your job, okay?”</p><p>Erica nodded. “Of course.”</p><p>Erica collected her things and left quickly. Det. Cabrera looked around for Gosalyn.</p><p>“Gosalyn? Oh...”</p><p>Gosalyn had sat down in one of the benches in the gallery, quietly crying. Det. Cabrera rushed over and knelt in front of her. </p><p>“Oh, <em> pollita</em>,” she said. “<em>Pollita, mi querida niña</em>, it’s okay to cry. This is wrong, and it’s okay to know that. But I’m going to fix it. Me and Fenton and Drake are going to make this better. You’re going to stay with Lena and Violet for now, but we’re going to fix this and bring you home. Okay?”</p><p>Gosalyn nodded, wiping her eyes. Det. Cabrera took her hand and walked her out of the courtroom. Det. Falco stepped forward.</p><p>“Gloria...”</p><p>“You have to come with me,” she said. “You do <em> not </em> have to speak.”</p><p>He closed his beak and followed her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Mess That You Made</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“You thought you could hide from the mess that you made<br/>All the promises broken, the best plans delayed.”<br/>— Joseph DeLuca, “Can’t Go Home Again”</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fenton actually felt pretty good coming back to his mother’s house after stopping the Beagle Boys from looting the Duckburg Federal Mint (the only one that still produced/circulated gold bullion.) He saw Det. Falco in his mother's squad car out front and stopped to say hello. Det. Falco looked sullen.</p><p>"You're going to want to talk with your mother," Det. Falco said.</p><p>Fenton paused, but headed inside. His mother was at the kitchen table, head in her hands. The full mug of coffee in front of her had gone cold. </p><p>"<em>Hola</em>," he said. "How did court go?"</p><p>Det. Cabrera sighed. "You should sit down, <em> pollito</em>."</p><p>Fenton left his duffle bag by the front door and sat next to her.</p><p>"What happened?" he asked.</p><p>"Drake's been arrested," she said.</p><p>Fenton felt his heart drop. "What?"</p><p>"Gosalyn's grandmother showed up," she said. "And accused Drake of kidnapping Gosalyn."</p><p>"No..."</p><p>“His lawyer—”</p><p>“<em>Lawyer?</em>”</p><p>“Scrooge McDuck hired you a lawyer for the custody trial,” she said. “I guess in case something like this happened. But she’s working with the judge and the grandmother’s lawyer and the DA. Drake... Drake said something interesting, a name— who is Mallory?”</p><p>Fenton exhaled. “Mallory is Drake’s older sister. Are you sure..?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Det. Cabrera said. “He seemed to recognize the grandmother, too. Called her by her first name before she had been introduced, and then started talking about his father. That something his father did wasn’t his fault. Does this mean anything to you?”</p><p>Fenton paused. “No, that’s not... it’d be too much of a... but...”</p><p>“Tell me what you’re thinking, <em> pollito</em>,” she said. </p><p>“Mallory and Drake are half-siblings,” Fenton said. “They share a father. Mallory’s mother was married to his father and they divorced before Drake hatched.”</p><p>“What’s the story there?” Det. Cabrera asked.</p><p>“By Drake’s account the divorce between Mallory’s mother and his father was pretty ugly,” Fenton said. “When his father died, Drake had nowhere to go. Apparently, Mallory’s mother had the option of taking him in, but she refused. Drake thinks she blames him for the divorce.”</p><p>“And what does this have to do with Gosalyn?”</p><p>“Gosalyn confirmed that this woman is her grandmother?” Fenton said.</p><p>“Yes,” Det. Cabrera said.</p><p>Fenton sighed. “Then... I think Mallory is Gosalyn’s mother.”</p><p>Det. Cabrera paused. “My murder suspect, and your boyfriend’s sister."</p><p>“Yeah,” Fenton said. “So... why is Tío Jon sitting outside in the car?”</p><p>She rolled her eyes. “Right, he’s still here... Go on and let him in.”</p><p>That sounded concerning to Fenton, but he went out and got Det. Falco. They came back in and Det. Cabrera had stood up and was making a fresh pot of coffee.</p><p>“So tell him what you did, Jonny,” she said. </p><p>“What?” Fenton said.</p><p>“Gloria, please,” Det. Falco said. “I didn’t <em> know</em>.”</p><p>“Didn’t know what?” Fenton asked. </p><p>“Drake Mallard, kidnapping suspect,” Det. Cabrera said. “Arresting officer, Detective Jonathan Falco.”</p><p>Fenton looked at Det. Falco. “How could you?”</p><p>“I didn’t know!” Det. Falco said. “A woman came in and said that her granddaughter had been kidnapped and was about to be formally adopted by the man who took her. By the time I realized it was your kid, the captain was involved, and I couldn’t stop it.”</p><p>“Captain Callaham?” Fenton asked.</p><p>“Fenton... kid, I’m so sorry,” Det. Falco said.</p><p>“M’ma, wasn’t Captain Callaham the one that threatened you when you were investigating Lt. Bayer’s murder?”</p><p>Det. Cabrera paused. “Yes.”</p><p>“Wait, he <em> threatened </em> you?” Det. Falco said.</p><p>“Not in so many words,” Det. Cabrera said. “I thought he might have been working with FOWL, but I couldn’t find any evidence for it, and it’s hard enough to take down a corrupt cop, let alone the captain of a precinct.”</p><p>“FOWL?” Det. Falco asked. “That conspiracy theory you were chasing with the Dork Avenger?”</p><p>Fenton and Det. Cabrera looked at each other.</p><p>“It’s not a conspiracy theory,” Fenton said. “Trust me.”</p><p>“Where is this going, <em> pollito</em>?” Det. Cabrera asked.</p><p>“I’ll need to talk with someone first,” Fenton said, grabbing his bag.</p><p>“Wait.” Det. Cabrera pulled out Drake’s phone. “Almost forgot— Drake gave this to me right before he... well.”</p><p>Fenton took the phone. “The evidence from Wolf, Ram, and Hart.”</p><p>“The law firm?” Det. Falco said. “Wait, <em> evidence</em>? Who is this guy?”</p><p>“The hangnail of crime, or something,” Det. Cabrera said. “You think you can finish what he started?”</p><p>“I guess I have to,” Fenton said. “I’ll be at the lab. Stay home until I get back.”</p><p>Fenton left and Det. Falco turned to Det. Cabrera.</p><p>“Since when do you take orders from him?” he asked.</p><p>“Since he knows what he’s talking about,” Det. Cabrera said.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Della put her phone down on the table. Donald carefully carried the coffee mugs over as the houseboat swayed slightly under them.</p><p>“That was Fenton,” she said. “Drake’s been arrested.”</p><p>Donald paused, putting the coffee down on the table. Della blinked.</p><p>“Sorry, that normally gets a different reaction,” Della said. “Donald, one of our <em> friends </em> was <em> arrested </em> for a <em> crime</em>.”</p><p>“Sure,” Donald said, sitting across from her. “But I mean...”</p><p>“<em>What?</em>” Della asked.</p><p>“It is <em> Drake</em>,” Donald said. “Are you sure he didn’t, you know... actually do it?”</p><p>She kicked him with her right leg.</p><p>“Ow!”</p><p>“This is serious!” she said. “This isn’t ‘he broke into the wrong building, again’— they arrested him for kidnapping Gosalyn!”</p><p>“That’s ludicrous,” Donald said. “You told me how that fight went, Negaduck practically handed her to him.”</p><p>“I bet it was the first moment of sobriety he’d had since the accident,” Della said.</p><p>Donald paused. “What are you planning, Della?”</p><p>“We’ll have to get some new tech,” Della said. “Most of Paperinik’s stuff is busted and SHUSH hasn’t been active here since...”</p><p>“Since you left,” Donald said. “And I stopped being Paperinik. And I’m <em> still </em> not Paperinik, so imagine <em> my </em> surprise when—”</p><p>Della rolled her eyes. “We’ve been over this, I’m <em> sorry</em>.”</p><p>“Stop going through my stuff!” Donald said. “That stuff is broken because I broke it! I’m not going back to that, and you shouldn’t either. We have the kids to think about.”</p><p>“And who’s looking out for Gosalyn?” Della asked.</p><p>“...Drake and Fenton. Detective Cabrera. The lawyer Scrooge hired. The DA— there’s a lot of people looking out for Gosalyn,” Donald said. </p><p>Della crossed her arms and leaned back, looking away.</p><p>“We should be doing something,” Della muttered.</p><p>“Donald? Della?” Mrs Beakley called from the deck of the boat.</p><p>“We’re down here!” Della called. </p><p>Mrs. Beakley came down into the living area.</p><p>“Gloria just told me what happened,” she said. “I assume you’ve heard about Mallard?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Della said. “Is there anything we can do?”</p><p>“Actually, it brings me to a point that I’ve been discussing with Klara,” she said, sitting down.</p><p>“Klara as in Klara Von Drake?” Donald asked. “And what does SHUSH want with you now?”</p><p>“Oh, not me,” Mrs. Beakley said. “You.”</p><p>The twins looked at each other. Donald leaned back in his seat.</p><p>“Ah, phooey,” he muttered.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. But We Don't Have to Be</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"They say we are what we are<br/>But we don't have to be."<br/>— Fall Out Boy, "Immortals"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lena and Webby pushed Violet towards the door to the guest room. Violet dug in her heels.</p><p>“She needs <em> time</em>,” Violet hissed.</p><p>“She <em> needs </em>her friends,” Lena whispered. “Come on, our dads won’t tell us what happened.”</p><p>“And we can’t help her if we don’t know what’s going on,” Webby said. </p><p>Gosalyn opened the door. Her hair was mussed, she had obviously been crying, and she wore a black and white hockey jersey that was at least three sizes too big. </p><p>“I can hear you,” she said. </p><p>“Hey, Gos,” Lena said, waving awkwardly. “How are you doing?”</p><p>“How do you <em>think</em> I’m doing?” she asked, walking back into the room.</p><p>The other three looked at each other and followed her in.</p><p>“Actually, no one’s told us anything,” Webby said. “We know something happened, but...”</p><p>Gosalyn climbed up onto the bed and held her knees close to her chest.</p><p>“...Drake got arrested,” she said. </p><p>“No...” Lena said. </p><p>“What was he arrested for?” Violet asked.</p><p>“Kidnapping me,” Gosalyn said. </p><p>“What?” Webby said. </p><p>“Grandmother came to court,” Gosalyn said. “I haven’t seen her since Mom died. She told the cops he took me.”</p><p>Webby paused. “So what do you need?”</p><p>Gosalyn looked up. “What?”</p><p>“We’re obviously going to help you,” Violet said.</p><p>“Duh,” Lena said.</p><p>“So what do we do?” Webby asked again.</p><p>Gosalyn paused. “The lawyer lady said that Dad was the last one to have custody of me. If we find him...”</p><p>“Gos, that’s not going to be easy,” Lena said. </p><p>“If we bring your dad to a court, he’ll be arrested too,” Violet said.</p><p>“If we don’t, and they find him, he’ll be arrested anyways,” Gosalyn said. “I know he’s killed someone, and that’s... but if he tells them that he <em> wants </em> Drake to take care of me, maybe he can convince them that Drake didn’t do it.”</p><p>Lena and Violet looked at each other.</p><p>“Well, I guess it’s lucky that Webby specializes in family mysteries,” Lena said. </p><p>She pointed at Webby, who was furiously writing notes on a pad.</p><p>“I have nine theories for where he might be hiding and at least twelve of where he’ll go next,” she said. She paused, then scribbled something out. “Okay, probably not ‘optometrist’...”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Gosalyn said. “My dad’s a murderer.”</p><p>“So you’re saying it could get <em> dangerous</em>?” Webby said.</p><p>Lena sat on the bed next to Gosalyn and put an arm around her shoulders.</p><p>“Then let’s get dangerous.”</p><p>Gosalyn smiled.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Gyro walked into his lab, a bullet flying past his head as the elevator doors opened. </p><p>“Hey!” he yelled.</p><p>“So sorry, Dr. Gearloose!” Gandra said. She ran over to Li’l Bulb and took the gun from him. She was wearing what looked like white armor over a black bodysuit with a black Gizmotech helmet.</p><p>“Are you <em> trying </em> to kill me?” Gyro asked. </p><p>“I’m <em> trying </em> to test this nanotech armor you wanted me to build,” Gandra said, flipping up the visor. “There’s only so many ways to test if it’s bullet-proof.”</p><p>“I gave you your own work space,” he said.</p><p>“A dusty corner of the lab with a box of tinker toys and a broken microscope?” Gandra said. “Yeah, I’d have better luck with the stone knives and bearskins.”</p><p>Gyro snorted. “Just don’t break anything.”</p><p>He went over to his workstation. Gandra took off her helmet and walked over to the supercomputer. Gandra had the computer print something out and Gyro jumped at the horrific screeching scrape of the dot-matrix printer starting up and let out a string of expletives.</p><p>“You’re really jumpy, doc,” she said.</p><p>“Well, the first time you were in here, you electrocuted me,” he said.</p><p>“It’s more than that,” Gandra said. “I get that you don’t like me. I get <em> why </em> you don’t like me. But I’m not here to hurt anyone, I’m hiding from FOWL. You of all people should get that.”</p><p>“I of all people,” he repeated. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”</p><p>Gandra rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, you think I don’t know who you are, <em> Agent G </em>?”</p><p>A chill went down Gyro’s spine. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”</p><p>He turned back to his work station. Gandra disengaged the armour and the nanites that made up the materials retreated back into her wristbands, which she took off and threw on the lab bench.</p><p>“I was <em> raised </em> by FOWL,” Gandra said, walking around the lab bench to face him. “What do you think happened when Black Heron’s protege, the next brilliant mind in mad science, just disappeared? Did you think they wouldn’t try and replace you?”</p><p>“Ha,” Gyro said. “<em>No one </em> can replace <em> me</em>.”</p><p>“A fact I know quite intimately,” she said. </p><p>Gyro looked up. “You.”</p><p>“Me,” she said.</p><p>Fenton ran into the lab, throwing his bag aside.</p><p>“Good, you’re both here,” he said. “I need your help with something.”</p><p>“What’s going on, suit?” Gandra asked.</p><p>“I think FOWL got Drake arrested,” Fenton said. </p><p>“Wait, you think Drake got arrested?” Gyro asked.</p><p>“No, he’s <em> definitely </em> been arrested,” Fenton said. “But I think FOWL is behind it.”</p><p>“What happened?” Gandra asked.</p><p>“He was at court and his stepmother suddenly came with M’ma’s partner and captain,” Fenton said. “She accused Drake of kidnapping Gosalyn, which, I don’t know, maybe is what happened? The whole thing is complicated, but anyway: M’ma’s captain is the same one that she thinks let Jim get transferred so that FOWL could break him out.”</p><p>“Do you know how they’re connected?” Gandra asked.</p><p>“No,” Fenton said.</p><p>“Do you have <em> anything </em> that could reasonably pass as ‘evidence’?” Gyro asked.</p><p>“I do have this,” Fenton said, placing Drake’s phone on the lab bench. </p><p>Gyro paused. “And what’s on that?”</p><p>Fenton exhaled. “Dr. Gearloose, how long were you with FOWL?”</p><p>Gyro blinked, looking away. “Fenton, look—”</p><p>“You can’t blame him, suit,” Gandra said. “He didn’t know what he was doing, neither of us did.”</p><p>“I don’t <em> blame </em> you,” Fenton said. “Either of you. That’s not what this is about. Drake was investigating this law firm—”</p><p>“Wolf, Ram, and Hart,” Gyro said.</p><p>“Yeah,” Fenton said.</p><p>"Wait, who?" Gandra asked.</p><p>“They’re more or less FOWL’s legal department,” Gandra said. “They’re the lawyers FOWL goes to to get their agents out of jail under the cover of the law. Why was Darkwing investigating them?”</p><p>“M’ma thinks they’re the ones covering up FOWL’s involvement in Jim Starling’s escape and disappearance,” Fenton said. </p><p>“That would make sense,” Gyro said. “Wouldn’t be the first time they broke someone out of prison to recruit them. Did he find anything?”</p><p>“Not about that, no,” Fenton said. “But the lawyer, he had files on us. All of us. Not everything, but they’re watching us closely.” </p><p>Gyro sighed. “We’re never going to be safe, are we?”</p><p>“Doc,” Gandra said. “We knew that when we left.”</p><p>“I think I can help,” Fenton said. </p><p>“No,” Gyro said. “We can’t... <em> I </em> can’t ask that of you.”</p><p>“It’s not going to stop with us,” Fenton said. “You <em> know </em> that. They’re already going after Drake. If they’re really in the police department, who knows what they’re going to do to M’ma.”</p><p>“And then they’ll go after the kids,” Gandra said quietly. </p><p>“So, let’s go over who you think we’re prepared to fight at the moment,” Gyro said. “Your boyfriend’s stepmom, a corrupt police captain and possibly the entire Duckburg police department, and, oh yeah, <em> the most dangerous group of criminals on the planet</em>. Sorry, this is you and <em> what </em> army now?”</p><p>“We’ll talk to Della,” Fenton said. “She seemed to know a few things about fighting FOWL.”</p><p>“Oh, so you and Paperinik, <em> great</em>,” Gyro said, crossing his arms. “I feel <em> so much better </em> about this.”</p><p>“Look, Drake wouldn’t do anything less for me,” Fenton said, his voice breaking. “I need... I need to <em> help </em> him.”</p><p>Gandra looked away and Gyro sighed. </p><p>“Fine,” he said. “What do you need?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Inside of You Lies a Rainbow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"Close your eyes, little girl blue<br/>Inside of you lies a rainbow"<br/>— Darkwing Duck, "Little Girl Blue"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Drake splashed some cold water on his face from the sink in his cell. The orange khaki itched everywhere, and he could barely look at the serial number stamped above the left breast pocket. He recognized half of the people in the cell block, and half of those he’d put there himself. If there was ever a time he was grateful for a secret identity...</p><p>But that was all to keep his mind off of what bothered him. He sighed, leaning on the edge of the sink.</p><p><em> Mallory</em>. Gosalyn’s mother... Jim’s <em> wife</em>... was <em> Mallory Waddlemeyer</em>. </p><p>It wasn’t just that his sister was dead. It wasn’t just that she had a kid. And it wasn’t just that she was married to <em> Jim Starling</em>, of all people. It was that all three of these facts had hit him like a freight train as soon as María walked into the courtroom and called Gosalyn her granddaughter. </p><p>María, who had stolen the life he should have had before he had the ability to understand why. Who blamed a child for the actions of his father. And who was now going to take his family away from him again.</p><p>“How the hell am I getting out of this one?” he muttered.</p><p>“Um, hi?”</p><p>Drake turned around and Bouncer Beagle walked into the cell. His shoulders were collapsed in as he crouched— the cell wasn’t tall enough for him to stand upright.</p><p>“...Hi,” Drake said. “You’re... you’re a Beagle Boy.”</p><p>“Name’s Bouncer,” he said. “I guess I’m in here too. I’ll take the bottom bunk— tend to break the bed when I’m on top.”</p><p>“O-okay,” Drake said. </p><p>Bouncer shuffled over and sat on the edge of the bottom bunk, rubbing an incredibly swollen black eye.</p><p>“Gizmoduck,” Bouncer said, pointing to it. </p><p><em> Good on you, Fen, </em> Drake thought. “Yeah, I... I hear he packs a punch.”</p><p>“No kiddin’,” Bouncer said. “So what are you in for?”</p><p>“It’s... a family thing,” he said. </p><p>Bouncer nodded. “I get it. Me too.”</p><p>“Right...” Drake said. <em> Great, now he thinks I’m in the mob. </em></p><p>The Warden walked down the hall and stopped at their cell.</p><p>“Hey, Bouncer,” the Warden said. </p><p>“Hey, Finch,” Bouncer said. </p><p>“What was it this time?” Warden Finch asked. “Duckburg Museum? National Bank?”</p><p>“Federal Mint,” Bouncer said, shrugging.</p><p>“Ah, right,” he said. “Well, lights out in five. See you tomorrow.”</p><p>“See you,” Bouncer said. </p><p>Warden Finch walked off, and Bouncer laid down.</p><p>“I didn’t catch your name,” Bouncer said.</p><p>“Drake,” he said. “Drake Mallard.”</p><p>“Good to meet you Drake,” Bouncer said. </p><p>Drake nodded. “Yeah.”</p><p>Drake climbed up into bed as Warden Finch called for lights out. The dark only made things worse— he should be at <em> home </em>, with Fenton and Gosalyn. He would be, if María hadn’t shown up. And for the first time in years, he wished he could see Mallory again. </p><p><em> I should have been there for you, </em> he thought. <em> I shouldn’t have run... </em></p><p>Her voice came out of a memory as he started to fall asleep.</p><p>
  <em> Close your eyes, little boy blue, inside of you lies a rainbow... </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Yellow, Blue, Red, Blue, Purple too, Blue, Purple, and Green, then the Yellow.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Mallory tapped the tune out on Drake’s toy xylophone. The small room was crowded with toys, mostly those that Mallory could pack from the old house. The yellow walls were decorated with blue and pink butterflies— Drake would realize later that his new foster parents had been expecting a girl. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Drake laughed. “Those aren’t the words.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Dad used to sing it like that, a long time ago,” Mallory said. “I fixed it about when I was your age.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Drake’s face fell. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I miss him,” he said.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Mallory collected her brother in her arms, pushing a strand of dark hair out of her eyes. </em>
</p><p><em> “I know,” she said. “I miss him too. But I’m right here. I’ll </em> always <em> be here.” </em></p><p>
  <em> “Promise?” he asked. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She hugged him tight. “Promise.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He yawned, burying his face in her shoulder. Her brown feathers were soft, and when he was that young, he still had vague memories of his own mother to compare them to. She laughed softly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Okay, I think it’s bedtime,” she said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Aw...” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Come on, Drake,” she said, picking him up. “You’re going to start Kindergarten tomorrow. You’ll want all your energy for that.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I don’t want to go to school,” he said. “I want to go with you.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I have to go to school too, so you’re out of luck there,” she said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She put him in bed and tucked him in. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I’ll be back tomorrow,” she said. “And you can tell me all about it.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Okay,” he said, miserably. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She smiled. “Close your eyes, little boy blue, inside of you lies a rainbow. I’ll be near to chase away fear, so sleep now and dream till tomorrow...” </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Drake woke up, breathing heavily. He hadn’t dreamt about Mallory in ages. It made sense— all of this had brought his childhood flooding back to him. He couldn’t believe it, he’d almost forgotten what she looked like...</p><p>He sighed, turning over. The part of his brain still not awake almost expected Fenton to be there, but of course there was just the cement brick wall. He wished he could tear out his heart so it would stop disappointing him. Bouncer snored in the bunk underneath him. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep.</p><p>
  <em> I’ll be here to chase away fear, so sleep tight and dream till tomorrow... </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Weight of the World</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"I tried carrying the weight of the world<br/>But I only have two hands"<br/>— Avicii, "Wake Me Up"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fenton and Erica sat in the Judge’s chambers, waiting for the others to arrive. Erica shuffled through some papers.</p><p>“Oh, by the way,” Erica said. “You and Drake are engaged.”</p><p>“Wait, what?” Fenton said.</p><p>“Because you aren’t married, technically you aren’t legally tied to Drake or Gosalyn,” Erica said. “Which was fine for when Gosalyn was placed with your mother, or for the adoption process, but right now it doesn’t give you access to these meetings. Being engaged... while not <em> technically </em> any different from a legal standpoint, makes it harder for people to keep you out.”</p><p>"So you guilt people into doing what you want," Fenton said.</p><p>"I'm a defense attorney," Erica said. "My entire job is guilting people into doing what I want."</p><p>A tall, broad-shouldered bull in an expensive suit entered the room. </p><p>“Hello,” he said, holding out a business card. “Taurus Bulba, from Wolf, Ram, and Hart. I’m Mrs. Sanchez’ attorney.”</p><p>“Erica Ravenwood,” she said, standing. “Attorney for the Defense. Will Mrs. Sanchez be joining us today?”</p><p>“Unfortunately, no,” Taurus said. “But I can assure you that Gosalyn’s best interests are well-represented.”</p><p>“I see,” Erica said. </p><p>The DA and the Judge entered the room, the DA trying to keep an embarrassing amount of papers in his arms. </p><p>“Hey, Dan,” Erica said.</p><p>“Hey, Erica, Taurus,” the DA said. “Oh, you must be Fenton!”</p><p>The DA walked over to Fenton to shake his hand, trailing papers.</p><p>“Your mom’s a great officer,” he said. “I’m really sorry about all of this.”</p><p>“I just want it to be over,” Fenton said, not exactly lying.</p><p>Judge Edgar Samuels, an older eagle in a black judge’s robe, sat behind his desk, looking over a file. </p><p>“On the kidnapping of Gosalyn Beatrix Starling by Drake Mallard,” he said. “9% of all child abduction cases are the result of custody disputes. This seems to fall under that statistic. Mr. Mallard, I believe is an uncle?”</p><p>“Yes,” Erica said. “Gosalyn’s mother was his sister.”</p><p>“And the family member pressing charges is a grandmother,” Judge Samuels said.</p><p>“Yes,” Taurus said. “My client has been looking for the girl since her father went missing.”</p><p>Judge Samuels sighed, taking off his glasses. “Cases like this tend to get heated and murky. I don’t like presiding over them any more than the DA’s office likes arguing them. I want all of you to understand that this is about the abduction itself, <em> not </em> a custody battle. Like it or not, the matter of this girl’s custody now that her father has been stripped of his parental rights is <em> not </em> what is on trial here.”</p><p>“Of course,” Taurus said. </p><p>“Very well,” Judge Samuels said. “I have scheduled a bail hearing for next week, you will receive details in the mail tomorrow.”</p><p>“Sorry, bail?” Taurus said.</p><p>“Ah, yes,” Dan said. “This being Mr. Mallard’s first offence, the judge and I will decide on terms of limited release until his trial, as well as a monetary amount for bail.”</p><p>Taurus paused. “I see. And these terms would be?”</p><p>“Probably some form of house arrest,” Dan said. </p><p>Taurus nodded. “I see.”</p><p>“This is an informal meeting,” Judge Samuels said, standing up. “Mostly so that we’re all informed of what’s ahead. I expect a fair trial from all of you. I am expected in court in a few minutes, I bid you good day.”</p><p>Judge Samuels left the room. Taurus turned to Erica. </p><p>“I look forward to meeting again,” he said.</p><p>Erica nodded politely. Taurus left.</p><p>“Yeah, ‘I expect a fair trial’,” Dan muttered. “Directed at the one laywer who isn’t arguing this case.”</p><p>“What?” Fenton asked.</p><p>“The case is <em> The State of Calisota v Mallard</em>,” Erica said. “Dan here is the prosecutor, I’m the defence. Taurus Bulba is stuck in the gallery like everyone else.”</p><p>“So you know him,” Fenton said.</p><p>“We know who he works for,” Dan said, collecting his papers. “See you in court, Erica.”</p><p>“Later, Dan,” she said.</p><p>Dan left with his papers as Erica put her briefcase together. </p><p>“What’s wrong with Wolf, Ram, and Hart?” Fenton asked. “It’s just another law firm, isn’t it?”</p><p>“Yes, one of the most lucrative in town,” Erica said. “Representing such Duckburg luminaries as Ma Beagle, Mark Beaks, and Flintheart Glomgold.”</p><p>“So more of a ‘Villains R Us’ law firm,” Fenton said. “But then why would Mrs. Sanchez hire them?”</p><p>Erica shrugged. “I’m not an investigator, I wouldn’t know.”</p><p>Fenton nodded. “I’m headed to the jail after this, do you want to come and talk to Drake?”</p><p>“I’m seeing him later,” Erica said. “But go ahead and tell him about the bail hearing. He should hear at least some good news from you.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Gandra inputted some code into the supercomputer as Gyro tinkered with one of Gizmoduck’s gauntlets. The palpable silence was only broken by the soft whirs, hums, and beeps of the supercomputer.</p><p>“Just ask,” Gyro said.</p><p>Gandra paused. “How did you escape?”</p><p>Gyro snorted. “Wasn’t really an escape so much as I was broken out.”</p><p>He set down his tools.</p><p>“I had just finished my first solo assignment,” Gyro said. “I had stolen a government project called ‘The Ramrod’. The problem was, it was protected with a security code that I couldn’t crack and the scientist working on the project... well, she had gotten away. So I had this multi-million dollar boondoggle and no idea how to operate it.”</p><p>“How old were you?” Gandra asked.</p><p>“Maybe 17?” he said. “SHUSH was still active back then, and they sent their best: Agent 22 and Scrooge McDuck.”</p><p>“I’ve heard about 22,” Gandra said.</p><p>“Yeah,” Gyro said. “She’s a lot nicer than you’d think, but the way FOWL tells it, she’s the monster under the bed. So they got to my lab and... I saw something click in Scrooge’s head as soon as he saw me. I’m about the same age as Donald and Della, you see.”</p><p>“Oh,” Gandra said. “What happened? Why go with them?”</p><p>“Scrooge said that I could do more, that I could <em> be </em> more, if I wasn’t limiting myself to other people’s work,” Gyro said. “After years of being Black Heron’s stooge... He convinced me that I could prove myself to be a better scientist than she ever was.”</p><p>Gandra paused. “I’m not sure that’s what I want.”</p><p>“I’m sure it’s not,” Gyro said. “But you’ll find it eventually. The McDucks have a way of figuring that sort of thing out. It’s kind of annoying, actually.”</p><p>Gandra laughed softly. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Della, Donald, Mrs. Beakley, and Scrooge sat at the dining room table.</p><p>“<em>If </em> we were to do this,” Donald said, “what would we be asked to do?”</p><p>“FOWL has drastically increased their presence in Duckburg,” Mrs. Beakley said. “SHUSH would like a team in place to conduct investigations and surveillance, be available for escort missions, and act as a support system for visiting agents.”</p><p>“What’s wrong with the police?” Donald asked.</p><p>“FOWL’s gotten into Duckburg PD,” Della said. “That’s what Darkwing had been investigating before... you know.”</p><p>“Why now?” Donald asked. “FOWL’s been popping up all over the place recently, sure, but they had been on a resurgence for a while now.”</p><p>“That would be my doing,” Scrooge said. “I hadn’t gotten a chance to speak with Klara until the seed vault.”</p><p>“<em>That’s </em> why we went there?” Della asked.</p><p>“No, we were there to bid on a contract to fix the seed vault,” Scrooge said. “I just also asked the current head of SHUSH to reinstate the JDI.”</p><p>“What does ‘JDI’ mean?” Della asked. “I wasn’t exactly part of the whole SHUSH thing the first time around.”</p><p>“There was an idea,” Mrs. Beakley said. “Donald knows this, that you could take remarkable people and make them something more. It was actually inspired by your uncle.”</p><p>Scrooge smirked.</p><p>“Donald was chosen because if <em> he </em> could succeed in such a program, <em> anyone </em> could,” Mrs. Beakley said. </p><p>“Exactly,” Donald said, nodding. “Wait a minute...”</p><p>“That’s great and all,” Della said. “But what does it <em> mean</em>?”</p><p>“The Justice Ducks Initiative,” Mrs. Beakley said. “And they want to start with the two of you. Well, four of you, but Gizmoduck and Darkwing are slightly preoccupied at the moment.”</p><p>“Then that’s our first assignment,” Della said. “Helping Drake stay out of prison and finishing what he started.”</p><p>“Slow down, dearie,” Scrooge said. “We don’t know the entire situation just yet. And he did technically kidnap her.”</p><p>“We’ll talk to Fenton,” Della said. “I’m sure he has a better idea what’s going on. In the meantime, we should talk about who else we should recruit.”</p><p>“Launchpad,” Donald said.</p><p>The other three looked at him. Donald shrugged.</p><p>“He’s survived about a hundred things that would have killed anyone else, he knows <em> all </em>of us,” Donald said. “Plus, he’s practically got a girl in every port. He might be even better connected than you, Uncle Scrooge.”</p><p>They paused.</p><p>“<em>Launchpad</em>?” Scrooge said.</p><p>“I know, right?” Donald said.</p><p>“We should talk to Gyro and Gandra too,” Della said.</p><p>“I’m not certain that’s a good idea,” Mrs. Beakley said. “FOWL keeps a close eye on all of their former operatives, it’s only a matter of time before they come for them.”</p><p>“Then we better do what we can to keep them safe,” Della said. “Look, we’re going to need technical support. Gyro knows Gizmotech better than anyone save Fenton, and without Gandra, Fenton, Drake, and I wouldn’t be alive right now. Best way to keep them safe is to keep them close, right?”</p><p>“She’s not wrong,” Scrooge said to Mrs. Beakley.</p><p>“I suppose...”</p><p>“Great,” Della said, standing up. “Fenton’s going to be at the lab this afternoon, we can get all of this done at once. Come on, Donald.”</p><p>The twins left and Scrooge looked to Mrs. Beakley.</p><p>“So, Della?” she said.</p><p>Scrooge nodded. “Della.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. All In One Spot</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"What are the odds the gods would put us all in one spot?"<br/>— Hamilton, "My Shot"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lena, Violet, and Gosalyn looked at the board that Webby had made up in her room. Crude drawings of Negaduck, Gosalyn, and what looked like an older Gosalyn in a dress were attached to pictures of Drake, Fenton, and another drawing of Gosalyn’s grandmother with angry eyebrows.</p>
<p>“...I don’t get it,” Lena said.</p>
<p>“It’s simple really,” Webby said, extending a pointer. “To <em>find</em> Negaduck, we have to <em>understand</em> Negaduck.”</p>
<p>“You’ve gotta be kidding me...” Gosalyn muttered.</p>
<p>“What does he <em>want</em>?” Webby said.</p>
<p>“Drake and Fenton,” Violet said. “Dead, or in a dead-like state of being.”</p>
<p>“I’m not sure about that anymore,” Gosalyn said. “There was a... moment. Towards the end of the fight. Like he remembered who he was. I think he just wants me to be safe.”</p>
<p>“Which you’re not right now,” Webby said. “No offence to your dads, guys, but Gosalyn needs a different kind of protection.”</p>
<p>“No, we get that,” Lena said. “But I don’t think analysing what he wants will get us to where he is.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps if we try a different approach,” Violet said. “What does he <em>care</em> about?”</p>
<p>“That’s just Gosalyn,” Lena said. “He doesn’t have anyone else.”</p>
<p>“Anyone else <em>alive</em>,” Gosalyn said. “There’s still Mom. There’s <em>always</em> been Mom.”</p>
<p>“So we stake out your... mother’s... grave...” Webby said, getting less enthusiastic with each word. “Oh...”</p>
<p>“It’s alright, Webby,” Gosalyn said. “I figured that’s where this was going. There’s just one problem.”</p>
<p>“And what’s that?” Violet asked.</p>
<p>“She doesn’t have one.”</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean, she doesn’t have a grave?” Webby asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She was in a car accident,” Gosalyn said. “Dad said it was... it was bad. He had her cremated.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So there isn’t a grave,” Violet said. “Were her ashes spread anywhere?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I don’t think so,” Gosalyn said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, has anyone thought to look at your old home?” Lena asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gosalyn paused. “Wouldn’t the police have thought of that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure,” Lena said. “But they would have abandoned it after they arrested him, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And since he got out...” Webby said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They would have set up near the warehouse,” Gosalyn said. “Leaving home alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Violet looked at her watch. “I would say we have about three hours before we have to tell our Dads that this is a sleepover.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you find your way home from here?” Lena asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, yeah,” Gosalyn said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Della and Donald walked into the lab to see Gandra hosing down Gyro and the Gizmoduck armor with a fire extinguisher. The can emptied and she threw it aside.</p>
<p>“I <em>told</em> you that a flame thrower was a bad idea,” Gandra said. </p>
<p>“Yeah, well... <em>whatever</em>,” Gyro muttered. “So what do the two of you want?”</p>
<p>“Us? Oh,” Della said. “We were looking for Fenton. And you guys, but we should do this all at once.”</p>
<p>“I think he was going to visit Drake,” Gandra said. “But I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”</p>
<p>“What’s all this for?” Donald asked.</p>
<p>“Fenton’s got it in his head that he can take down every criminal in Duckburg,” Gyro said, wiping the extinguisher foam off his glasses. “So, you know, he’s <em>absolutely</em> processing his emotions in a healthy manner.”</p>
<p>“Oh, geez...” Donald muttered.</p>
<p>Della paused. “Maybe he can.”</p>
<p>Donald sighed. “Della...”</p>
<p>“We can <em>help</em>,” she said.</p>
<p>“<em>They</em> have to play along with him, <em>we</em> do not,” Donald said.</p>
<p>“We need them too, and you know it,” Della said.</p>
<p>Gyro and Gandra looked at each other.</p>
<p>“What the hell are you talking about?” Gyro asked.</p>
<p>“What do you know about SHUSH?” Della asked.</p>
<p>Gyro stepped back and clutched his chest. Gandra’s eyes went wide.</p>
<p>“W-why would we know anything about a secret spy organization that we definitely never worked against in any capacity?” Gyro asked.</p>
<p>The twins looked at each other.</p>
<p>“How would you like to work <em>for</em> them?” Della asked.</p>
<p>“Wait, what?” Gandra asked.</p>
<p>“SHUSH is reopening their Duckburg offices,” Donald said. “And we’re going to need some support staff.”</p>
<p>Gyro crossed his arms. “And your first thought was two former FOWL operatives?”</p>
<p>“No, they <em>want</em> us to recruit Gizmoduck and Darkwing, but they’re a little busy right now,” Donald said.</p>
<p>“Ah... yeah, that makes sense,” Gyro said. </p>
<p>“Wait, back to helping Fenton... destroy crime, or whatever,” Gandra said. “SHUSH wants the two of you and Darkwing and Gizmoduck... what, as soldiers? Spies?”</p>
<p>“Drake doesn’t follow orders,” Gyro said. “And Fenton’s a terrible liar.”</p>
<p>“The idea isn’t spies or scientists or officers,” Della said. “Or at least not them alone.”</p>
<p>“It’s heroes,” Donald said. “SHUSH is looking for heroes.”</p>
<p>“Exactly,” Della said.</p>
<p>“...That’s not us,” Gyro said.</p>
<p>“We’re not heroes,” Gandra said. </p>
<p>“But they are,” Della said. “And they can’t do it without you.”</p>
<p>Gandra looked to Gyro.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Gyro said. </p>
<p>“We don’t have much time,” Della said. “You’re going to have to make your choice quickly.”</p>
<p>Fenton entered the lab with Launchpad. </p>
<p>“Good, you’re all here,” Fenton said.</p>
<p>“How’s Drake?” Della asked.</p>
<p>Fenton nodded. “I mean, he’s been better. But Drake told me something that I think is going to lead us to what FOWL is up to.”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Della said. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Be Near to Chase Away Fear</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"I'll be near to chase away fear<br/>So sleep now and dream 'till tomorrow"<br/>— Darkwing Duck, "Little Girl Blue"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Warden Finch pulled Drake from the cell block just before lunch.</p><p>“You’ve got visitors,” Warden Finch said.</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“This way.”</p><p>Warden Finch led Drake to a large room almost like a cafeteria with round tables attached to benches. There was a guard at the door. Fenton and Launchpad were waiting inside. Fenton ran over and hugged Drake. Drake looked away.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Fenton asked.</p><p>“I... I didn’t know you were coming,” Drake said. </p><p>Fenton held Drake tightly.</p><p>“There’s nothing that could happen that would make me think less of you,” he whispered.</p><p>The three sat at one of the tables.</p><p>“How you holding up, DM?” Launchpad asked.</p><p>“Oh, you know me,” Drake said. “I always get back up. Have either of you seen Gosalyn?”</p><p>“She was up at the manor,” Launchpad said. “The girls have been holed up in Webby’s room. They’re probably doing makeovers or summoning otherworldly spirits from the shadow realm. You know, girl stuff.”</p><p>Drake nodded. “That’s... that’s good. She should be with her friends.”</p><p>“There’s some more good news,” Fenton said. “Sounds like they’re going to let you out on bail. It’s house arrest, but it’s better than prison.”</p><p>“This is while I’m waiting for trial?” Drake said.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Drake nodded. “Okay. Was... was María there?”</p><p>“No,” Fenton said. “Her lawyer was, though... Taurus Bulba.”</p><p>Drake sat up. “Really?”</p><p>“Do you know him?” Launchpad asked.</p><p>“He’s a junior partner at Wolf, Ram, and Hart,” Drake said.</p><p>Fenton paused. “He’s the guy you’ve been investigating.”</p><p>Drake looked back at the guard and leaned in.</p><p>“From what I understand, <em> Darkwing </em> has been investigating a link between the law firm and a... certain criminal organization,” he said, keeping his voice low.</p><p>“I see...”  Launchpad said. “The Beagle Boys.”</p><p>“Um... no, LP,” Drake said. “A certain... <em> larceny organization</em>.”</p><p>Fenton put a hand on Drake’s wrist. “Drake, babe, I know you have issues with your stepmother, but—”</p><p>“No, I don’t think María is part of this,” Drake said. “She’s... Her problem is with me and my father. But the timing is too perfect to be random.”</p><p>“I guess the question is, which one of you are they targeting?” Fenton asked.</p><p>“What do you mean?” Drake asked.</p><p>“Well, dredging up old family tensions and going through the process of a criminal trial takes a lot of work,” Fenton said. “If they just wanted to get rid of Darkwing, there are much easier ways to do it.”</p><p>“You think putting a bullet in my brain would be a more efficient use of their time,” Drake said. “You’re not wrong. But why target Drake Mallard?”</p><p>“Not Drake Mallard, Drake Waddlemeyer,” Fenton said. “This is about your family, otherwise, what would be the point?”</p><p>“Unfortunately, I don’t know that much about my family,” Drake said. “Other than Jim, but then again, I didn’t even realize he’d married my sister.”</p><p>“What about your sister?” Launchpad asked.</p><p>Drake and Fenton paused.</p><p>“Sorry?” Drake said.</p><p>“I mean, that’s the link between all of you,” Launchpad said. “You, Gosalyn, your stepmother. That’s the connection, isn’t it?”</p><p>“He’s not wrong,” Fenton said.</p><p>“He’s certainly on the right track,” Drake said. “Look into my father as well, it might have to do with his work. There’s something called ‘The Ramrod’ that they’ve connected to me. I think Gyro knows something about it.”</p><p>“Oh! By the way,” Fenton said, pulling out something. “Gyro got this off Jim’s phone. Remember when you brought it in?”</p><p>“Yeah...”</p><p>He handed Drake a photograph. It was obviously several years old, Gosalyn looked about 8. Jim’s face was less lined and he had a real smile. And Mallory... her short, dark hair curled like Gosalyn’s and she wore glasses, which Drake didn’t remember her needing. She had one hand on her husband’s arm and the other balancing her daughter on her knee. Drake exhaled and he could feel tension release in his shoulders.</p><p>“I...” The words were stuck in his throat. “Make sure Gosalyn gets a copy.”</p><p>“Of course,” Fenton said, taking Drake’s free hand in his own. Drake put the picture in his breast pocket and held Fenton’s hand tightly.</p><p>“Thank you...”</p><p>Fenton kissed Drake’s cheek. “Oh, by the way, we’re engaged.”</p><p>“Wait, what?” Drake said.</p><p>“Erica needs us to be engaged for legal purposes,” Fenton said.</p><p>“Okay,” Drake said. “Sure.”</p><p>“Congrats guys,” Launchpad said. “It’s good to see you find that special someone...”</p><p>“Oh, boy...” Drake muttered.</p><p>“And that someone can be many things...”</p><p>“You’ve heard it too?” Fenton asked.</p><p>“Yeah,” Drake said. “When I started dating you.”</p><p>“A friend, a confidante, a deadly ninja...”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> "...and then Megavolt charges at Darkwing, who uses his grappling hook to vault over the side, and Megavolt smashes into the cannon and it explodes!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Mallory laughed. "Wouldn't that hurt?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Nah, it's a TV show," Drake said. "Stuff on TV never hurts." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "I see," she said. "By the way, I got you something." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Mallory pulled a present out of her backpack. It was poorly wrapped in a Darkwing-patterned paper and several yellow ribbons. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Drake looked at her, confused. "But my birthday isn't for another month." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "I know," she said. "But I'm starting college soon, and I'm not going to be around as much. Remember?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Yeah..." Drake said. "But you're still gonna call, right?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Everyday," she said. "Go on, open it." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He tore at the wrapping paper and pulled out a Darkwing Duck lunchbox. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Oh, wow..." </em>
</p><p><em> "I know it's not the action figure," she said. "But you can </em> — <em> " </em></p><p>
  <em> "No, I love it!" he said quickly. "Thank you!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He put the lunchbox down and hugged her. She held him tight. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "I love you so much," she said quietly. "Always remember that, Drake." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "I love you too, Mallory." </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>"...a clone of yourself."</p><p>Warden Finch put a hand on Drake's shoulder.</p><p>"Time's up, Mallard," he said.</p><p>"Right," Drake said. He turned back to Fenton. "Let me know what you find."</p><p>"Of course," Fenton said. "Drake, I..."</p><p>Drake smiled sadly. "I know."</p><p>The three got up from the table.</p><p>"We'll visit again soon," Launchpad said.</p><p>"Thank you," Drake said. </p><p>Fenton hugged Drake tightly.</p><p>"I'm going to fix this," Fenton whispered.</p><p>Drake couldn't think of what to say. Warden Finch pulled Drake from the room and escorted him back down to the cell block.</p><p>"That your family?" he asked.</p><p>"...yeah," Drake said, thinking of the photo in his pocket. "Yeah, my family."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Burden of Its Memories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"Yeah, I'll leave this so-called, so-called home<br/>The burden of its memories weighs heavy on my bones."<br/>— The Ballroom Thieves, "Bullet"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Della paused. “The <em> lawyer</em>.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Fenton said. “Well, the entire firm, really.”</p><p>“Wolf, Ram, and Hart have been the legal branch of FOWL for decades,” Donald said. “Some of the firm is legit, but most of FOWL don’t even know they’re connected except for some upper brass. How did <em>Drake</em> put this all together?”</p><p>“He was looking into a coverup around Jim Starling’s prison break. There are notes on his phone,” Fenton said, holding the phone up. “They’ve got stuff on me, Drake, Gandra, Dr. Gearloose...”</p><p>“But why go through all of this?” Della said. “Wouldn’t it be easier to just... I don’t know... kill him?”</p><p>“That was... mentioned,” Fenton said. “We’re wondering if it has to do with his family, and Drake thinks there’s a connection to something called ‘the Ramrod’.”</p><p>Gyro crossed his arms and looked away. “Sounds familiar.”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Fenton said. “I’ve looked over the notes he took photos of to see if I could find anything that would help. Apparently his father was a government researcher. <em>All</em> of his projects are heavily redacted, classified ‘For Eyes Only’.”</p><p>“That sounds like a job for SHUSH,” Della said. </p><p>“For what?” Fenton asked.</p><p>The twins looked at each other.</p><p>“Why don’t you all come with us,” Della said.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Detectives Cabrera and Falco descended into the basement of the Duckburg PD Internal Affairs building. Halogen lamps hung from the low, unfinished ceiling over rows and rows of filing cabinets as the dust danced in the air. </p><p>“Why are we here?” Det. Falco asked.</p><p>“If IA suspects anything, they make a file,” Det. Cabrera said. “My son is brilliant, but he is far too trusting of <em>people</em> . If <em>he</em> suspects someone’s motives, the people paid to be suspicious probably do too.”</p><p>Det. Cabrera looked down the rows of filing cabinets. Det. Falco followed her.</p><p>“So, Fenton’s not just a scientist, isn’t he?” he asked.</p><p>“What would make you say that?” she said, turning into one of the rows.</p><p>“He’s been working weird hours, it feels like,” Det. Falco said. “And not ‘obsessed with work’ hours like his dad. Like, ‘able to leave work at the drop of a hat’ hours. Now, I’ve <em>met</em> Gyro Gearloose. He doesn’t seem like the kind of boss that would accept that.”</p><p>Det. Cabrera opened a cabinet drawer. “Still not sure where you’re going with this.”</p><p>“I’m not done, actually,” Det. Falco said. “The guy he’s dating is collecting evidence against a major law firm? He’s got that bag he carries everywhere now. He was much faster with that deduction than he ever has been. And that hospital stay? How many healthy kids his age do you know that have heart attacks?”</p><p>“Can you hold that thought, Jonny?” Det. Cabrera pulled a thick file out of the drawer.</p><p>“What is that?” he asked.</p><p>“An itemized list of 30 years of disagreements,” she said. “We’ve got him.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Gosalyn took them to a split-level house in Hookbill Harbor. The lawn and garden was overgrown, the mail slot in the front door was spilling over onto the front porch, and the lights were all out.</p><p>“I don’t think he’s here...” Gosalyn said.</p><p>“Maybe there’s a clue inside,” Lena said.</p><p>She knelt down and picked the lock on the front door. </p><p>Inside wasn’t much better than outside. There was dust everywhere and the particular smell of rotten food floated in from the kitchen. Webby tried the lightswitch.</p><p>“I don’t think anyone’s paid the electric bill in some time,” Violet said.</p><p>“The electric what?” Webby said.</p><p>Gosalyn stepped in front of the group, taking a deep breath. Lena put a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>“I know,” Lena said.</p><p>Gosalyn nodded. “Let’s go to work.”</p><p>The four split up and looked around the house. Lena opened the refrigerator and blasted the bad food with her magic, eliminating the smell. Violet looked over the bookshelf, mostly books on physics, or the <em> Darkwing Duck </em> show. Gosalyn looked up the stairs towards the bedrooms, but couldn’t bring herself to go up. Webby inspected the fireplace.</p><p>“Does this look familiar to you guys?” Webby asked.</p><p>“Dad had it built to look like the one from the show,” Gosalyn said. “The one that turned into the entrance to the Duckcave.”</p><p>Lena looked over from the kitchen. “And how did that work? On the show, I mean.”</p><p>“There was a secret switch in...” Gosalyn paused. “Oh!”</p><p>“Exactly,” Lena said. </p><p>Gosalyn reached for the statuette of Detective Basil and pressed the head down. The fireplace opened up to reveal a pole.</p><p>“Where does this go?” Gosalyn asked.</p><p>Lena looked over the edge.</p><p>“I’m gonna guess... down.”</p><p>“Let’s go!” Webby said, jumping on the pole and sliding down. </p><p>“Webby, wait!” Lena said.</p><p>Webby disappeared down into the dark.</p><p>“Webbigail!” Violet said. “Are you okay?”</p><p>There was silence for a moment.</p><p>“Guys, you gotta see this!”</p><p>The other three looked at each other.</p><p>“Here goes nothing,” Lena muttered, grabbing the pole. “You coming after me, sis?”</p><p>“Absolutely,” Violet said.</p><p>They went down the pole, one after the other. Gosalyn took a deep breath.</p><p>“I have to find out what happened,” Gosalyn said. </p><p>She grabbed the pole, closed her eyes, and headed down. </p><p>The pole went on for what seemed like ages. When her feet hit the ground she opened her eyes.</p><p>Lena had lit up the place with magic and the group looked around the... well, cave. But it wasn’t the Duckcave from her dad’s show. Lab benches were organized into smaller groups, covered with broken glassware, torn and disfigured blueprints, and notebooks blotted out in ink with stiff, wrinkled pages— as though they’d been soaked and left to dry. The walls were lined with jars and flasks, labeled with complex chemical names, each longer than the last. At the far end of the cavern, there was a raised platform hosting a supercomputer and what looked like a large, nearly complete ray gun.</p><p>“What is this stuff?” Gosalyn said.</p><p>“You don’t know?” Webby said.</p><p>Gosalyn shook her head. “I’ve never seen this before.”</p><p>“Of course you haven’t.”</p><p>Jim stepped out of the shadows. The other three took defensive stances, but Gosalyn stepped forward. He was out of the Negaduck costume, wearing a black button down and blazer, and he seemed... calm.</p><p>“Your mother... your mother had her own secrets,” Jim said. </p><p>“Dad, what’s going on?” Gosalyn asked.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Your House Is On Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“Hey little bird, fly away home<br/>Your house is on fire, your children are alone”<br/>— Tom Waits, “Jockey Full of Bourbon”</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Della led the others into a dark room. She flipped a switch on the wall and the lights slowly came on with a series of loud thunks.</p><p>The room was massive, centered around a large conference table. Along the far wall was a fully-functional forensic laboratory and engineering workspace. Screens lined the wall by the conference table. Doors labeled ‘Vehicles’, ‘Gym’, ‘Armory’, and ‘Director’ were along the other wall. Della walked out in front of the group.</p><p>“Welcome to the Justice Ducks Initiative,” she said.</p><p>“What is this place?” Launchpad asked.</p><p>“It used to be my base when I was Paperinik,” Donald said. “Uncle Scrooge... gave it some upgrades.”</p><p>The three scientists almost immediately ran over to the lab area.</p><p>“A SpectruMedix TRS-8000 Mass Spectrometer...” Gandra passed a hand over the piece of equipment. “You can <em> feel </em> the particle analysis...”</p><p>Gyro stared at a wall of containers full of mechanical parts.</p><p>“These are all compatible with BulbTech, right?” he asked.</p><p>Fenton examined the supercomputer and plugged himself in. </p><p>“Dr. Gearloose, I think... yes! I can access this computer’s memory with the Gizmoduck interface,” he said.</p><p>“No way!” Gandra said, running over.</p><p>Mrs. Beakley walked out of the Director’s office, carrying several files, and cleared her throat.</p><p>“If the three of you are finished drooling over the equipment,” she said. “Della, I was able to get my hands on those files you asked for.”</p><p>She held out a remote and pressed a button. The screens over the conference table showed a picture of an older duck in a lab coat.</p><p>“Professor Raymond Waddlemeyer,” Mrs. Beakley said. “He died 28 years ago in a lab accident. He was a government contractor who specialized in advanced physics research for the military.”</p><p>“Like, star charts?” Launchpad asked.</p><p>“<em>Physics </em> , not <em> psychics</em>,” Gyro said, walking over. “Gravity and momentum and quantum particles.”</p><p>“What exactly was he researching?” Gandra asked.</p><p>Mrs. Beakley laid out the files on the table.</p><p>“I think the better question is, what <em> wasn’t </em> he researching?” Fenton said, looking at the folders. “Nuclear, mechanical, particle, astro... Don’t people normally specialize?”</p><p>“We haven’t,” Gyro said.</p><p>Fenton opened his beak to say something, but paused. “That’s fair.”</p><p>“So we need to figure out what of this research FOWL is looking for?” Gandra asked. </p><p>“Looks like,” Fenton said. “Thanks, Mrs. B.”</p><p>She smiled. “You’re welcome, young man.”</p><p>Mrs. Beakley turned to Della. “Now, you asked about the rest of his family.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Della said. “We’re not sure who the real target is, we just suspect.”</p><p>“Waddlemeyer was survived by his ex-wife, María Sanchez, his daughter, Dr. Mallory Starling, and his son, known to us as Drake Mallard.”</p><p>“<em>Doctor </em> Starling?” Fenton looked up from the file. </p><p>“Yes, she was also a physicist,” Mrs. Beakley said.</p><p>“How...” Fenton took a deep breath. “How did she die?”</p><p>“The police report—”</p><p>“<em>Police report? </em>” Fenton said, walking over to her.</p><p>“Yes, there was an accident,” Mrs. Beakley said. “It was winter. There was ice and her car swerved off a bridge.”</p><p>Fenton paused. “I see. What was her area of research?”</p><p>“I wasn’t able to find any published papers or patents,” Mrs. Beakley said. “But this is all still preliminary. I’m sure there is more to be found.”</p><p>“Right,” Fenton said, looking away.</p><p>“This is it,” Gyro said, holding up a file.</p><p>“You sure?” Donald asked.</p><p>“Yeah,” Gyro said. “Cause I’m the one that stole it.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Gosalyn stepped towards her father.</p><p>“Dad, what are you talking about?” she asked.</p><p>“Your mother was brilliant,” Jim said, laughing softly. “She got it from her father, apparently. She had been working on a project for the government that he had started.”</p><p>He waved for her to join him. Lena put a hand on Gosalyn’s shoulder.</p><p>“It’s okay,” Gosalyn said.</p><p>Gosalyn walked over to Jim, who pointed out the giant ray gun on top of the raised platform.</p><p>“The Waddlemeyer Ramrod,” Jim said. “Your grandfather built it as part of a military project.”</p><p>“What does it do?” Gosalyn asked.</p><p>“I have no idea,” Jim said. “But it was stolen a long time ago, before you were born.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“You <em> stole </em> it?” Della asked.</p><p>Gyro blinked. “World <em> Larceny</em>. It’s literally in the name.”</p><p>“Yeah, but...” Della looked at the blueprints on the screen. “It looks kinda big.”</p><p>“What does it do?” Donald asked.</p><p>“It’s a trachio-specific device that disrupts gravitational bonds and allows manipulation on a micro scale, while maintaining molecular and physical structure,” Gyro said, adjusting his glasses.</p><p>The others paused. Gyro rolled his eyes.</p><p>“It makes things float without tearing them apart,” he explained. </p><p>“Well, I can see how FOWL would want that,” Mrs. Beakley said.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“FOWL figured out what she was doing,” Jim said. “If she was able to rebuild it, she would be able to operate the one they stole. We knew that none of us would be safe if she finished the project.”</p><p>Gosalyn stepped back. “So she...”</p><p>Jim sighed. “Let’s just say, my death wasn’t the first one I faked.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“This doesn’t make sense,” Gandra said. “These project dates are long after Waddlemeyer died. Who was working on it?”</p><p>“Some physicist named...” Gyro paused. “Oh...”</p><p>The others all looked at him.</p><p>“Oh, no.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Wait, you faked your wife’s death?” Lena asked.</p><p>“Miss De Spell, <em>please</em>,” Jim said, as his face started to deform and his voice deepened. “<em>Try</em> and keep up.”</p><p>“Guys, I think you might want to get back upstairs,” Gosalyn said.</p><p>“Oh, it is far too late for that...”</p><p>Jim’s form twisted and extended in front of them, white feathers turning to black ink. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“<em>Please</em> tell me you didn’t kill her,” Fenton said.</p><p>“This was years ago!” Gyro said. “And of course I didn’t! But she would have had the plans, <em>these</em> plans. She would have started over.”</p><p>“Meaning she could have been working on it when she died,” Donald said.</p><p>“<em>If</em> she died,” Fenton said, pulling out his phone. “I'm not sure we can assume that.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Det. Cabrera’s phone buzzed on her desk.</p><p>“Hi, <em>pollito</em>, how are you?” she asked.</p><p>“M’ma, I need you to look up an accident report,” Fenton said.</p><p>“Sure.” She opened her laptop. “Which one?”</p><p>“Five years ago, Dr. Mallory Starling.”</p><p>She pulled up the report.</p><p>“It says her car went off a bridge,” she said. “Her remains were... strange...”</p><p>“What happened?”</p><p>“Dr. McCallum said that her remains should have been unidentifiable, but that her husband said it was a positive match,” she said. “Even though he wasn’t in the crash...”</p><p>“Thanks, gotta go.”</p><p>“Fenton, what—”</p><p>He hung up. She put her phone down and Det. Falco leaned on her desk.</p><p>“Now what would a normal, everyday scientist want with a five-year-old cold case?”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Fenton hung up. </p><p>“I don’t think the body in the car was hers,” he said.</p><p>“So... she’s <em>not</em> dead?” Gandra asked.</p><p>“But then where would she be?” Gyro asked.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Gosalyn backed up as the Blot towered over her. Someone pulled her away and she fell to the floor. She looked up and saw a woman with brown feathers and dark hair standing between her and the Blot.</p><p>"...Mom?"</p><p>"Gos, sweety, grab your friends and get out of here," Mallory said.</p><p>"Mom, we can—"</p><p>"Just go!" she said.</p><p>Lena took Gosalyn's hand. </p><p>"We’ve got her," she said.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Fenton's phone buzzed.</p><p>"Gloria?" Donald asked.</p><p>"Gosalyn." Fenton picked up the phone. "<em>Pollita</em>, what's going on?"</p><p>"It's the Blot," she said, breathing heavily. "Fenton, he has my mom!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Yellow, Blue, Red, Blue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"Yellow, blue, red, blue, purple, too,<br/>Blue, purple, and green, then the yellow."<br/>— Darkwing Duck, "Little Girl Blue"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Drake couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t Bouncer’s snoring (or, at least, it wasn’t <em> just </em> Bouncer’s snoring), but he felt like he should turn over and be back in his bed, with Fenton’s weight next to him, and even see that damned scar on his chest. He wanted to walk into Gosalyn’s room and hug her and talk about her mother and grandfather and tell her how much he loved her. </p><p>He took out the picture that Fenton gave him and traced the edge of the paper. It was so weird to see Jim genuinely happy. Gosalyn was <em> young</em>, and Mallory... he couldn’t believe that he’d missed so much. Her whole life. He should have <em> been </em> there, he should have <em> looked </em> for her. He could have <em> been </em>there...</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> The phone in Mallory’s dorm rang. Her roommate, Daisy, looked at her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “It’s probably for you,” she said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Yeah, I know,” Mallory said. “Pick it up, if it’s my mom, I’m in the lab.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Daisy picked up the phone. “Daisy Duck. Who is this?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She paused for a moment, then handed Mallory the phone. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “It’s your brother.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Drake? Drake, sweety, what happened?” Mallory asked. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She could hear Drake sniffing on the other end. “Mama Sanchez said you weren’t coming back.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “She what?” Mallory rolled her eyes. “No, Drake, I’m coming home, I’m just not home right now.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “When?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Mallory sighed. “Not for a while. I don’t get a break until Thanksgiving.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “But that’s so long!” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I know, sweety, I know,” Mallory said. “But I’ll be there. I promise.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “But she said you were going away!” Drake said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Let me talk with her, I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding,” Mallory said. “I gotta get back to my homework now, I’ll call tomorrow.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Okay...” </em>
</p><p>God, he sounds miserable...<em> Mallory thought. </em></p><p>
  <em> “I love you, Drake,” she said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Love you too, Mal,” he said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Drake hung up. Mallory put down the phone and sighed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You need a break,” Daisy said.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “My lab’s an 8 AM and this report isn’t going to write itself,” Mallory said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “No, I mean from your family,” Daisy said.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “That’s why I’m here isn’t it?” Mallory said. “Halfway across the state and far out of my mother’s grip.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “The fact that you said it like that is concerning,” Daisy said. “What’s the story there?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Dad cheated, Mom got mad, ended up with a very young half-brother and very bitterly divorced parents,” Mallory said. “Then dad died... and it just got worse.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You and Drake got stuck with mom,” Daisy said. </em>
</p><p><em> “Oh, boy, no,” Mallory said. “ </em> I <em> got stuck with mom. Drake... Drake got stuck in foster care.” </em></p><p>
  <em> Daisy blinked. “What? You realize how messed up that is, right?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Yeah,” Mallory said. “But there’s not much I can do. Drake needs me.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “And you need him,” Daisy said. “But maybe... I don’t know you very well yet, but the school has a pretty decent counseling office. Maybe you need to talk with someone, you know, professionally.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Mallory sighed. “Maybe.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She dialed the phone for home. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Hello?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Hey, Mom, it’s Mallory,” she said. “What exactly did you say to Drake?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I simply told him the truth,” María said. “We are moving.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Wait, what?” </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Something pounded on the cell wall, from the outside.The bunk shook. Drake sat up. The thing hit the wall again, tossing Drake and Bouncer out of their beds. Bouncer woke up.</p><p>“Huh?” Bouncer grunted.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Drake said, getting up. </p><p>The thing pounded the wall again, breaking through. When the dust settled, a large goat stood up, the same goat that Drake had run into in Wolf, Ram, and Hart’s offices. </p><p>“Hammerhead?” Bouncer said. </p><p>“Hey, Bounce,” Hammerhead said. “Sorry, but I’m here for him.”</p><p>“I’m not going anywhere,” Drake said. “I’m innocent, and I’m going to prove it.”</p><p>“Sorry, boy,” Hammerhead said. “But this ain’t a discussion.”</p><p>“He said he’s not going.” Bouncer stood up and cracked his knuckles.</p><p>“Then I’m sorry for this, too.”</p><p>Hammerhead headbutted Bouncer, who fell over, knocked out cold. Drake backed up as much as he could in the tiny cell. Hammerhead swiped at him, and he dodged. Hammerhead grabbed the back of Drake’s coveralls. Drake got a hand around one of his horns and swung himself up onto Hammerhead’s shoulders. Hammerhead ran back into the wall and Drake’s head hit against the concrete. Hammerhead slammed backwards several times and Drake fell off of him, unconscious. Hammerhead picked up Drake and slung him over his shoulder, walking out the way he came in. </p><p>The photo in Drake’s pocket fell out and fluttered to the ground.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Drake woke up in a dark room with a single light. Which was <em> never </em> a great thing. His ankles were bound together, tied to a spoke of the chair stand, his arms over the back and wrists bound together. He could hear a pipe dripping behind him.</p><p>A broad-shouldered bull stepped into the light.</p><p>“Sorry for the rude awakening,” Taurus said. “But I’m afraid I had to move the timetable up, before they released you.”</p><p>“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Drake said.</p><p>“Your father was an incredibly intelligent man,” Taurus said. “Surely you have some idea as to the situation.”</p><p>“I have some idea of a gesture I’d like to give you, but it seems my hands are tied,” Drake said. “I’ve been in jail the past few days, why don’t you catch me up?”</p><p>“The Ramrod, Mallard,” Taurus said. “An invention of your father’s. Suffice to say, we have it. But it requires a key code.”</p><p>Drake laughed. “Oh, boy, and you think he gave it to a five-year-old? You’re out of your mind.” </p><p>“Ah, yes, but you don’t have to say anything,” Taurus said. “See, I have the woman with the code. She just needs a little... <em> motivation</em>.”</p><p>Drake blinked, his breathing unsteady. He wasn’t here because of Darkwing. He wasn’t there as bait. He was there to be tortured. </p><p>And he couldn’t help but laugh.</p><p>“Good luck,” Drake said. “I can take a lot of pain.”</p><p>Taurus smirked. “Oh, I’m not one to get my hands dirty. That’s a job for someone with... singular motivation.”</p><p>Negaduck stepped out of the shadows, his eyes seemed glazed over, and his feathers and clothes were stained a blotchy black and dripped with ink. He was also absolutely silent, with an icy stare that Drake could feel in his chest. He hit Drake across the face, and blood pooled in his beak. Drake spat out the blood and turned back to Taurus.</p><p>“What did you do to him?” Drake breathed.</p><p>“Nothing that wasn’t inevitable,” Taurus said.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Listen to My Voice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"Close your eyes<br/>Listen to my voice, it's my disguise<br/>I'm by your side"<br/>— Plain White T's, "Hey There, Delilah"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> - Several weeks earlier - </em>
</p><p>The Blot threw Negaduck into a small, dark room. Jim scrambled to stand up. </p><p>
  <em> He’s dead. </em>
</p><p>The Blot grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the concrete wall. </p><p>
  <em> Get Gosalyn. </em>
</p><p>“You. <em> Hesitated</em>,” the Blot hissed.</p><p>
  <em> Find Gosalyn. Get Gosalyn. </em>
</p><p>“I wasn’t going to hurt Gosalyn,” Jim said.</p><p><em> Get out. Find Gosalyn. Get Gosalyn. </em> </p><p>The Blot’s grip grew tighter around his neck and he threw Jim to the floor.</p><p><em> Get Gosalyn get Gosalyn GET GOSALYN OUT OF THERE</em>—</p><p>“This isn’t over, Starling,” the Blot said, cutting through the fog in Jim’s mind. “Fortunately for you, my associate preferred that you come back alive.”</p><p>Jim sneered. “How <em> lucky</em>.”</p><p>“Not entirely,” the Blot said. “There were no specifics on <em> condition</em>.”</p><p>The Blot towered over him and inched forward. Jim’s vision went black. He felt weightless, like he was floating in something, and he really didn’t want to think about what that something was. A searing pain shot through his body, like hot lead poured into his veins. His fists were pried open and what felt like talons pierced into the center of his palms. More of them were pressed into his sides, his arms, his legs. One pierced right through his heart, which he thought should have killed him, but didn’t manage to. Nothing that should have killed him was able to finish the job, it seemed. </p><p>He was thrown to the floor and the pain stopped. When he could see again, the Blot was retreating, that sick grin on his face. The Blot left the room, slamming the door behind him. </p><p>Jim stood, his legs shaking, and he pulled his cape around him. He was alive, for now. That was good— he could do more for Gosalyn alive.</p><p>The room was cold, and he could barely see, but he heard a leaky pipe dripping in one corner of the room. He went to the opposite corner, on the wall with the door, and sat with his knees close to his chest, trying to keep warm. No use enduring torture if he was just going to let himself die of hypothermia.</p><p>The kid was dead, he had to be. Whatever the Blot had done to him, there was no way Fenton could undo it. But as much as he wanted Drake dead, he had to admit, the two of them together reminded Jim of him and Mallory, in that Fenton was way too smart for the kid. How Fenton wanted to help people and Drake just wanted someone to take him seriously. He realized he hadn’t even thought about Mallory in ages... </p><p>“I’m sorry,” he whispered, tears forming in his eyes. “I broke our promise, Mal, I... I couldn’t protect her.”</p><p>He had no idea what was going to happen to Gosalyn. Mallory could come back for her, they’d just kill her like they almost did five years ago. Would they take Gosalyn from the people that saved her, from Fenton? Without Drake, where would she even go?</p><p><em> I can get out of here, </em> part of him hissed. <em> I can get to her, we can find Mallory, and go... somewhere. Somewhere far away, where FOWL won’t find us. Somewhere she can be safe, somewhere we can all be safe and together again. Then it won’t matter that the kid is dead. You’ll have had your revenge, and you can stop, you can </em>heal...</p><p>He remembered what Drake said to him. <em> You’re not well, you need help... </em></p><p>“I don’t need <em> anyone</em>,” he muttered. </p><p>“That’s not true.”</p><p>Jim looked up. There was no one else in the cell, but he had heard the kid’s voice, as clear as if he was sitting right next to him.</p><p>
  <em> Gosalyn. Get Gosalyn </em>
</p><p>“You’re not real,” Jim said. “This is all in my head.”</p><p>He pulled his cape tighter around him. He could almost see in breath in the stale air.</p><p>“Of course this is in your head,” the voice said, laughing. “You think after everything you’ve done to me that I’d actually <em> be </em> here? That I’d <em> save </em> you?”</p><p>
  <em> She’s not safe. They’ll find her, they’ll kill her. </em>
</p><p>“You’re not real... you’re not real...” Jim muttered. “None of this is real.”</p><p>“Just because I’m not real, doesn’t make it any less true,” the voice said, sounding incredibly close. Jim could feel Drake’s breath on his neck.</p><p>“It’s <em> not </em> true,” Jim said. “The kid’s an idiot and I hate him, but he wanted to save me. He was trying to save me when he died.”</p><p>“I was trying to save <em> myself</em>,” the voice said. “I’d hold your daughter hostage to ensure my own life.”</p><p><em> GETGOSALYNGETGOSALYNGETGOSALYN</em>— his mind screamed at him. He held his hands over his ears like that was going to help.</p><p>“<em>Close your eyes, little girl blue...</em>” Jim muttered, remembering the song Mallory used to sing to Gosalyn. “<em>Inside of you lies a rainbow...</em>”</p><p>“<em>Listen </em> to me,” the voice hissed. Jim felt hands gripping his arms, hard enough to bruise.</p><p>“<em>I’ll be here to chase away fear...</em>”</p><p>“You will <em> listen</em>!” the voice screamed, sounding more and more like his own.</p><p>“<em>So sleep tight and dream ‘till tomor</em>—”</p><p>He felt a blade run across his throat and he woke with a start. His eyes were dry, he must have cried himself to sleep without realizing. He grabbed his neck, but there was no blood. His breathing slowed— not a hallucination, just a dream. It didn’t make him feel that much better about it, but at least it was quiet now. He hadn’t had much quiet since the accident. </p><p>The blue hour of dawn had started, light coming in through a small window on the wall opposite the door, towards the ceiling, that he hadn’t seen the night before. The leaky pipe was next to it, a pool of water collected on the floor. With Drake dead, there was no one left to save him, he knew that. He’d just have to figure out a way to save himself.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Jim wasn’t sure how long he’d been alone in the cell. His internal clock had gone haywire after the accident— a side effect of the “buy one psychosis, get the comorbid ones free” that he’d apparently bought into. He could tell it was evening, though, as the orange light of sunset filled the room and the temperature started to drop. He put his jacket and cape back on to prepare for the cold night.</p><p>The door to the cell slammed open and the Blot threw him against the wall. The Blot’s hand transformed, growing wide, the fingers fusing together, almost completely covering Jim as it sealed him to the wall. A broad-shouldered bull followed the Blot in. </p><p>“Jim Starling,” the bull said. “I’m afraid we haven’t met just yet, I’m Taurus Bulba.”</p><p>“What do you want from me?” Jim asked. “I have nothing left.”</p><p>“That’s not entirely true,” Taurus said. “You have something very valuable to me.”</p><p>“And what is that?” Jim asked.</p><p>“I’ve been searching for 20 years for a code to a device that will help FOWL reach new heights,” Taurus said. “The problem is, the man who invented the machine met with an... <em> unfortunate </em>accident.”</p><p>“You mean FOWL killed him,” Jim said.</p><p>“I’m a lawyer, Starling, and I’m <em> very </em> good at what I do,” Taurus said. “Professor Waddlemeyer died in a lab accident.”</p><p>“Waddlemeyer?” Jim said, with a dawning realization. “No...”</p><p>“I believe that was your wife’s maiden name, wasn’t it?” Taurus said. “There are three people in the world who may know the code. Your daughter. Your wife, who we know isn’t <em> actually </em> dead. And your wife’s brother.”</p><p>“She hasn’t seen her brother in years,” Jim said. “And you know that she rebuilt the machine.”</p><p>“Yes, but it seems that the Starlings have a certain <em> indomitable </em> will,” Taurus said. “Perhaps you will find the brother easier to crack.”</p><p>“Me?” Jim said. “Your friend here seems to be more interested in pain.”</p><p>“That is true,” Taurus said. “But you are the better choice for this one. Your history, for one— you’ve nearly killed Drake Mallard twice now, surely you want to finish the job?”</p><p>That particular bit of information sunk like a rock in his gut, but Jim kept his face straight. “My wife’s brother is Fakewing?”</p><p>“Yes, and he’d been causing quite a bit of trouble for us, in addition,” Taurus said. “Because you didn’t kill him when you were supposed to, he had gotten all the way to Family Court before we could have him arrested. It is unfortunate that he had to be arrested in front of your girl, but it’s hardly the worst thing she’s seen.”</p><p>“And what will you be doing?” Jim asked. “Torturing my wife?”</p><p>“We will tend to certain other matters,” Taurus said. “But I shall have Drake Mallard in custody soon, and I very much need this information. Also, the Blot needs a cast of you for... his particular purposes.”</p><p>“What does that mean?”</p><p>The Blot grinned. “Would you like to find out?”</p><p>The stuff that made up the creature poured onto him, completely covering him. The liquid-like substance was thick but strangely dry and was heavy on his skin. He could feel it in his throat and he couldn’t breathe—</p><p>He fell to the floor as the substance pulled away. He saw a double of himself, dressed all in black, adjusting the cuffs of a shirt, and Taurus was gone.</p><p>“Taurus will—” The double still had the Blot’s voice. He put a hand to his chest and cleared his throat.</p><p>“Sorry about that.” The double now spoke in Jim’s voice. “Taurus will be back for you in a moment.”</p><p>The Blot left. Jim exhaled, looking down at his hands. Blotches of what looked like ink stained his feathers and clothes, and they dripped in black. He crawled over to the pool of water under the leaky pipe and tried to wash it off, but it wouldn’t come out. He looked at his reflection in the pool. He barely recognized himself, and not because of the ink stains on his face. </p><p>It wasn’t just that Drake Mallard was alive. It wasn’t just that he was Mallory’s brother. And it wasn’t just that he was probably arrested while trying to adopt Gosalyn. It was that all three of these facts had hit him like a freight train as soon as Taurus Bulba said that Jim would have to torture him for information. </p><p>But now he had a plan.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The End of the Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"I need a hero<br/>I'm holding out for a hero 'till the end of the night."<br/>— Bonnie Tyler, "Holding Out For a Hero"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Drake blinked, his breathing unsteady. He wasn’t here because of Darkwing. He wasn’t there as bait. He was there to be tortured. </p><p>And he couldn’t help but laugh.</p><p>“Good luck,” Drake said. “I can take a lot of pain.”</p><p>Taurus smirked. “Oh, I’m not one to get my hands dirty. That’s a job for someone with... singular motivation.”</p><p>Negaduck stepped out of the shadows, his eyes seemed glazed over, and his feathers and clothes were stained a blotchy black and dripped with ink. He was also absolutely silent, with an icy stare that Drake could feel in his chest. He hit Drake across the face, and blood pooled in his beak. Drake spat out the blood and turned back to Taurus.</p><p>“What did you do to him?” Drake breathed.</p><p>“Nothing that wasn’t inevitable,” Taurus said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”</p><p>Taurus left and Negaduck approached Drake slowly. He pulled out a knife.</p><p>“You don’t want to do this, Jim,” Drake said. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”</p><p>Negaduck chuckled, flipping the knife around in his hand. He walked around the chair Drake was tied to.</p><p>“I’ve nearly killed you three times,” he said. “What makes you think now that you’re at my mercy I won’t <em> finish the job </em>?”</p><p>He grabbed Drake by the shoulders and pressed the knife to his throat. Drake felt him lean in close.</p><p>“Do not react to what I’m about to say,” Jim whispered. “They’re watching us both and if I don’t do what they want they will kill us all.”</p><p>“And what are you saying?” Drake asked. </p><p>“Mallory is <em> alive</em>,” Jim whispered. “And I need you to save her.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Fenton paced in front of the screens. </p><p>“I... I don’t... maybe... no, that wouldn’t...”</p><p>Della stared at her watch.</p><p>“How long?” Donald asked.</p><p>“58 minutes,” Della said.</p><p>“Do <em> you </em> have a plan?” he asked.</p><p>Gyro burst out of the armory. “Everyone shut up.”</p><p>He dumped a box full of a large collection of items on the conference table. Gandra ran out after him.</p><p>“I told you to wait for me,” she said.</p><p>“We’ve upgraded all your gear,” Gyro said. “You should be ready for anything.”</p><p>Della picked up a pair of sunglasses.</p><p>“Sunglasses at night?” she asked. </p><p>“A specially calibrated heads-up display,” Gyro said.</p><p>“There’s more.” Gandra pulled out a pair of black and white wristbands. “Agent 44, I believe?”</p><p>Della took the wristbands and put them on. </p><p>“Inside, left wrist,” Gandra said.</p><p>She tapped the spot and the wristbands buzzed and it looked like they <em> unfolded</em>, creating a black three-piece suit.</p><p>“Gandra’s nanotech,” Gyro said. </p><p>“It’s the same tensile strength as the most reinforced part of Gizmoduck’s armor,” Gandra said. “Donald, yours are in those gauntlets.”</p><p>Donald put them on and activated the suit— a black bodysuit with red pauldrons and a yellow belt. A blue cape unfurled from the pauldrons. </p><p>“A bit tighter than the old suit...” he muttered.</p><p>“It’s been over a decade, Donald,” Della said.</p><p>“...Shut up.”</p><p>“Now, these are all extremely untested prototypes,” Gyro said. “The only thing we had time for was making sure they were bullet-proof, which seemed top priority.”</p><p>“Probably the right call,” Della said. </p><p>“Okay, you and Gandra are geniuses, but there’s no way you did all of this in an hour,” Fenton said.</p><p>“...I’ve had some time on my hands,” Gandra said.</p><p>“All right,” Della said. “Let’s do this.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena helped Gosalyn up onto the boulder outside the cave’s exit. They were up on a steep hill overlooking the house, and the sun had set into a moonless night. Gosalyn checked her phone.</p><p>“I texted Fenton the address, where <em> is </em> he?” she asked. </p><p>“We should get out of here,” Lena said. “Head to the Bin, or the Manor or something.”</p><p>“I’m not going anywhere,” Gosalyn said. “That <em> thing </em> has my mom, I’m getting her back.”</p><p>“Gos, we can’t fight the Blot!” Lena said.</p><p>“Della and Fenton were able to fight it,” Webby said.</p><p>“No, they <em> survived </em> a fight with it,” Lena said. “And in case we all forgot, I <em> didn’t </em>.”</p><p>Webby stepped back. Violet took her sister’s hand. </p><p>“You were alone last time,” Violet said. “You’re not now.”</p><p>“None of us are,” Gosalyn said. “Fenton and the others are coming. We can do this.”</p><p>Lena nodded. “Okay. So what’s the plan?”</p><p>“We go in and kick their butts,” Gosalyn said, pounding her fist into her hand.</p><p>“...Yeah, we’re going to need more than that,” Lena said. “I know where to go.”</p><p>Lena was able to magic the four of them across the harbor to the abandoned theatre where she used to live. She exhaled.</p><p>“Okay, first transportation spell!” she said. “Everyone got all their limbs?”</p><p>“I believe so...” Violet said, looking at her hands.</p><p>Lena nodded. “Great, let’s head downstairs.”</p><p>Her old room was much the same way that she had left it before the Shadow War. The four looked around for something to fight the Blot with.</p><p>“What about this Gem of Demonic Banishment?” Webby asked.</p><p>“Banishes demons,” Lena said. “Neither of which helps us.”</p><p>“I’ve got some kinda jar of... pink goop?” Gosalyn said.</p><p>“Yeah, put that down unless you want to be a llama for the rest of your life,” Lena said.</p><p>Gosalyn tenderly put it back on the shelf. “Magic is so weird.”</p><p>“Lena, this book seems to be entirely blank,” Violet said, paging through a blue hardback, “except for this panel in the middle that displays a moving image of static.”</p><p>“Let me see that,” Lena said, taking the book. She looked at the cover, which had faded and chipped gold embossing.</p><p>“An Atrusian prison age book,” Lena said. “Vi, you’re a genius!”</p><p>“I know,” Violet said, smirking. “So, what does it do?”</p><p>Lena laughed. “I’ll explain on the way.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Just Not For Long</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"We could be immortals,<br/>Just not for long, for long."<br/>— Fall Out Boy, "Immortals"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Negaduck threw a bucket of cold water onto Drake, who came to with a start.</p><p>“You passed out again,” Negaduck said.</p><p>“Or, you know, you could not hit me quite so hard and trust that I know how to kayfabe,” Drake said.</p><p>“Except... I still hate you,” Negaduck said.</p><p>“Right, I almost forgot.” Drake rolled his eyes. “How much longer do we need to keep this up?”</p><p>There were sounds of a struggle in the distance.</p><p>“That’s my exit,” Negaduck said. He looked back to Drake. “Keep her safe.”</p><p>Drake nodded and Negaduck vanished into the shadows. The sound of the fighting came closer until someone in a yellow and red uniform with an egg-shaped helmet slid across the floor, unconscious, followed by Launchpad running to him.</p><p>“Launchpad!”</p><p>Launchpad was, strangely, wearing a suit and sunglasses. He untied Drake from the chair.</p><p>“Sorry we took so long, DW,” Launchpad said.</p><p>“Nice suit,” he said. “Didn’t happen to bring an extra one, did you? Orange isn’t exactly my color.”</p><p>“Gandra said these were for you.” </p><p>Launchpad handed Drake a pair of violet and blue wristbands. He activated the suit and it unfolded out of the wristbands. Drake’s costume was altered slightly. He now had blue gloves that matched the turtle-neck collar, and his cape was draped more fully around his shoulders. Launchpad handed him a mask and his hat.</p><p>“Gandra?” Drake asked, putting on the mask. “Liking that girl more and more...”</p><p>“I thought you didn’t like her because she dated Fenton once,” Launchpad said.</p><p>“Yes, but she has a sense of style,” he said. “Come on, LP, we gotta find my sister.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Della stuck to the shadows in the back of the lab. The place was crawling with FOWL grunts in red and yellow. She could see Dr. Mallory Starling up on the platform, the Blot towering over her and speaking to her. He was too quiet to hear, but Mallory looked... terrified. She shook her head ‘no’, and the Blot pushed her toward the Ramrod, growing larger. She refused and the Blot hit her across the face.</p><p>“<em>Bastard</em>.”</p><p>Della jumped. Darkwing and Launchpad had materialized next to her. </p><p>“So what’s the plan?” Darkwing asked.</p><p>“We’re going to need a distraction,” Della said. </p><p>“I think I’ve got that covered.” Darkwing pulled out a smoke bomb. </p><p>A hockey stick flew across the cave and hit the Blot in the head. </p><p>“Hey, mister!” Gosalyn yelled. “Get away from my mom!”</p><p>Drake looked to Della. “New plan?”</p><p>“New plan,” she said. “We get the kids, you get your sister.”</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>Darkwing ran along the wall of the cave, heading behind the platform, as the Blot rushed at the kids, who scattered. Launchpad grabbed Violet and Webby by their shirts, holding two FOWL grunts off with his leg. Della pulled Gosalyn out of the way before the Blot crashed into a wall. </p><p>“What are you doing here?” Della yelled.</p><p>“We didn’t know if you were coming,” Gosalyn said.</p><p>“Of course we were coming!” she said. </p><p>Darkwing snuck up to the back of the platform. Mallory’s eyes were fixed on Gosalyn.</p><p>“Mallory?” he said.</p><p>She turned around and her eyes got wide.</p><p>“Oh, Jim!”</p><p>She ran over and hugged him, tight. Drake’s heart dropped, but he hugged back.</p><p>“I knew it wasn’t true,” she said. “I knew you’d come for me.”</p><p>Drake stepped back. “Mal, I’m not Jim.”</p><p>Mallory studied his face, then stepped back and looked him over.</p><p>“...<em> Drake</em>?”</p><p>“You’ve got to get out of here,” he said. “We’ll take care of the kids, just go.”</p><p>“Not while they have the Ramrod,” she said. “I get that this is dad’s life’s work, but we have to destroy it.”</p><p>“That's great,” he said. “But if I do it, I'm just going to blow it up.”</p><p>“You say that like it’s not my plan,” Mallory said.</p><p>Drake grinned. “Oh, it is <em> good </em>to see you again.”</p><p>Gizmoduck burst into the room, taking out at least five grunts along with the wall. Paperinik ran in after him.</p><p>“What are the kids doing here?” Paperinik yelled.</p><p>“I don’t know, I just got here!” Darkwing yelled back.</p><p>Lena blasted back a grunt when Hammerhead grabbed her and picked her up. She kicked him and he tightened his grip.</p><p>“Let me go!” she yelled. </p><p>A smoke bomb went off in Hammerhead’s face and he staggered back. Lena dropped and Paperinik caught her before she hit the ground.</p><p>“Thanks for the save,” she said.</p><p>“Good, ‘cause Gizmoduck needs your help,” he said.</p><p>The Blot twisted himself around Gizmoduck and wrestled him to the floor. His hands spread over the armor, trying to seep in through the cracks. Fenton struggled to throw him off. Darkwing pulled Fenton out of the armor. </p><p>“You knew I was going to be here, right?” Darkwing asked.</p><p>Fenton lifted his helmet’s visor. “I always know when you’re there to catch me.”</p><p>A bright flash burst in the Blot’s face and he yelled in pain.</p><p>“Remember me?” Lena asked, holding out a blue book with a panel of static. The book’s panel glowed and the Blot’s surface rolled like he was being boiled. Drops of him split off and were sucked into the book.</p><p>“No!” he yelled as he was pulled in. The glow faded and she slammed the book shut. There wasn’t a trace of him left.</p><p>Lena grinned. “Atrusian prison age book. Works every time.”</p><p>Darkwing and Fenton dodged fire to get to the platform and Mallory.</p><p>“Fenton, this is Mallory, Mallory, Fenton,” Darkwing said. “So what do we do?”</p><p>“There’s a code to activate it,” Mallory said, going to the panel. “He made it so if you put it in backwards, you could destroy it. I just need to remember...”</p><p>“I thought you built this thing!” Fenton said.</p><p>“It’s been five years!” she said. “When was the last time you tried a password you haven’t used in five years?”</p><p>The three of them looked over the panel.</p><p>“Red... yellow, green?” she muttered. “No, that’s not...”</p><p>“I know it,” Drake said, quietly. </p><p>“What?” Fenton said.</p><p>“I know the code,” Drake said. </p><p>“Excellent.”</p><p>The sound of the fighting stopped. The three turned around and Taurus Bulba had Gosalyn in his arm, and a gun to her head. He had his hand over her beak and she was trembling.</p><p>“As I told you earlier, Mr. Mallard, I don’t like getting my hands dirty,” he said. “But I will if I must.”</p><p>Drake stepped forward and Fenton put a hand on his shoulder. </p><p>“Drake...”</p><p>“I have to, Fen,” he said.</p><p>Drake turned to the panel.</p><p>“Now wait,” Taurus said. “As much as I’m sure it would be fitting for you to author your own demise, I don’t trust you. Gizmoduck will input the code.”</p><p>Fenton took Drake’s hand.</p><p>“We’ve got this,” he said. </p><p>Drake nodded. “Yellow. Green. Purple.”</p><p>Mallory’s eyes widened.</p><p>“Blue. Purple. Purple.”</p><p>Drake looked back to Gosalyn.</p><p>“Blue. Red.”</p><p>Della looked around for an angle and saw something in the ceiling of the cave.</p><p>“Blue. Yellow.”</p><p>Taurus smiled.</p><p>“Thank you, now—”</p><p>A bomb dropped and the platform filled with smoke. Drake felt Fenton’s hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“Is this you?” Fenton asked.</p><p>“I wish.”</p><p>“<em>I am the terror that flaps in the night.</em>”</p><p>“Jim...” Mallory whispered.</p><p>“<em>I am the chill that runs up your spine.</em>”</p><p>“Guys, what’s going on up there?” Della yelled.</p><p>“<em>I am Darkwing Duck!</em>”</p><p>The smoke cleared and Jim dropped down on Taurus and pulled his arm away from Gosalyn. Gosalyn picked up her hockey stick and slammed it into Taurus’ gut. He staggered back, still struggling for the gun with Jim. </p><p>“Don’t. Touch. My. <em> Daughter!</em>”</p><p>The gun went off.</p><p>“Jim!” Mallory yelled.</p><p>Jim dropped to his knees, the red stain on his chest growing. Taurus made a break for it, and Paperinik and Launchpad tackled him. </p><p>“Hi,” Paperinik said. “Remember me?"</p><p>Mallory ran over to her husband, who had collapsed. The Ramrod started to hum and Fenton put a hand on Drake’s shoulder.</p><p>“We’ve gotta go,” he said.</p><p>“Get everyone else out,” Drake said. “I’ll get Mallory.”</p><p>Fenton nodded and ran to get his armor. Drake went over to Mallory.</p><p>“Mal, we have to get out of here,” Drake said.</p><p>“I’m not leaving him,” she said, her voice breaking. “I just got him back...”</p><p>“No, you didn’t,” Jim said. “I’m not... I haven’t been myself in a long time.”</p><p>“You were tonight,” Drake said.</p><p>“I’m not leaving him again,” Mallory insisted.</p><p>Jim smiled, brushing a stray hair out of her face. He leaned up and kissed her, before pushing her away.</p><p>“Darkwing, get her out of here,” Jim said. </p><p>Drake pulled Mallory to her feet. </p><p>“Tell Gosalyn I loved her,” Jim said.</p><p>Jim watched Drake and Mallory disappear into the exit tunnel. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. He laid down and closed his eyes. He could feel the floor vibrating as the Ramrod overloaded. The explosion was quick and he felt the heat on his face before everything went silent.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Someone You Can Say Goodbye To</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"Say your goodbyes if you've got someone you can say goodbye to."<br/>— Matchbox 20, "How Far We've Come"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Up on the hillside where the cave exited, Drake could see the Starling house collapse into the hole created by the explosion. </p><p>“Do you think he survived that one?” Launchpad asked. </p><p>“No,” Drake said. “I think this time it’s for real.”</p><p>Launchpad put a hand on Drake’s shoulder.</p><p>Mallory was on her knees, trying desperately not to cry. Gosalyn sat next to her and put a hand on her knee.</p><p>“I miss him too.”</p><p>Mallory hugged her daughter. “He loved you so much.”</p><p>Drake deactivated his suit and gave the wristbands to Launchpad. He took off his mask and hat. There were bloodstains on his jumpsuit from earlier.</p><p>“Drake, what..?” Mallory stood up.</p><p>“Yeah, I got into a bit of trouble,” Drake said. “Your mother was involved, actually. Hey, do we still have the lawyer?”</p><p>“Over here!” Della called. She and Paperinik had restrained Taurus and forced him to the ground.</p><p>“Fenton?” Drake said. “You know what to do?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Gizmoduck said.</p><p>“Wait, what’s going on?” Mallory said.</p><p>“I got arrested for kidnapping Gosalyn on the word of your mother,” Drake said. “Now, I’d put all of Scrooge McDuck’s money on Taurus here <em> actively </em> seeking out your mother to bring up these charges so that he could get me isolated in a jail cell and extract me from there, rather than try and face me head on. Which is more or less what Gizmoduck is going to tell the cops when they arrive.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Gizmoduck said. “And I’m sure we can find that evidence M’ma was looking for once they seize his office and files.”</p><p>“I would imagine there’s a lot they’re going to find,” Drake said. “We might not be able to take down the firm, but Taurus is going to jail for corruption, kidnapping, endangering a minor, and...”</p><p>“Murder,” Mallory said. “You’re going to send him to jail for Jim’s murder.”</p><p>“Murder 2, not Murder 1, but yeah,” Drake said. “Even without the explosion, that gunshot would have killed him, Mal.”</p><p>She sighed. “Yeah.”</p><p>“We also need to work on getting you legally living again,” Della said. “That will help smooth things over for Drake.”</p><p>She nodded. “All right.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> Mallory hadn’t planned to go to a club, but she had just nailed her dissertation defence and short of a miracle, she was going to have a phd in physics very soon, so she put on the one dress that vaguely looked like she should be in a club, put up her hair, and hit the town.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She almost immediately regretted it. The music was loud, the lights hurt her head, and she could barely get an order to the bartender. She tried to find a place to sit down when she ran into a large guard dog. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You’re not allowed in there,” he said.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “What?” she asked. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I said, ‘you’re not’—” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Cliff.” A white duck came out of the room the guard was standing in front of. “It’s okay, she’s with me.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Cliff stepped aside and the other man led Mallory into the room. It was much quieter, but the lights were very dim. He led her to a rounded couch in the corner. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You looked like you wanted to die out there,” the man said. “What’s your name?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Mallory, and I’m not used to things being so loud,” she admitted.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He laughed softly. “Then why are you here?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She shrugged. “I defended my dissertation today, I... wanted to celebrate.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Congratulations,” he said. “What field are you in?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Particle physics,” she said. “I study the effects of gravity on subatomic particles and quantum fields.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The man blinked. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You... have no idea what I said, do you?” she said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “No, but I sure enjoyed watching you say it,” he said. “I don’t really like loud either, but people expect certain things of me. Expect me to live in a certain way. I mean, sure, it can get loud on sets, but...” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You’re an actor?” She studied his face for a moment. “Oh my god, you’re Jim Starling!” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Yeah,” he said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “My brother is, just, an enormous fan of Darkwing Duck,” she said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He nodded, looking away. “Yeah.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “...Oh, that was the wrong thing to say,” she said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Hey, it’s okay,” he said. “It’s my best known role, I get it.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She nodded. “You should own it.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Sorry?” </em>
</p><p><em> “Who cares if you got typecast?” she said. “You inspired so many kids to stand up for what’s right, to stand up for </em> themselves<em>. Do you know how exceedingly rare it is to have that kind of impact? You’re </em> Darkwing Duck<em>. Own it.” </em></p><p>
  <em> He grinned. “Well, then. Can I buy you a drink?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She smiled. “Sure.” </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Drake sat in a waiting room outside the judge’s chambers, waiting for Mallory and Erica. María came out first. She stepped towards him and he sat up straight.</p><p>“Drake... there’s nothing I can say to...” She sighed. “I know an apology is not enough. But it’s all I have.”</p><p>He nodded. “I know. Thank you.” </p><p>She left the room and he exhaled. Mallory stepped out, sitting in the chair next to Drake.</p><p>“What’s going to happen?” he asked.</p><p>“In exchange for her testimony, she is going to be placed under protective custody,” Mallory said. “All charges against you are dropped and completely expunged from your record. And she’ll be put in witness security for three years after the trial.”</p><p>Drake paused. “Three years.”</p><p>Mallory nodded.</p><p>“She’s... she’s not young Mal,” Drake said.</p><p>“I know,” Mallory said. “It was the best option. At least your lawyer thought so.”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Drake said.</p><p>Mallory laughed softly. “Honest to god, Drake, I... out of everyone we know, you have more reason to—”</p><p>“I know that it’s complicated,” Drake said.</p><p>“...yeah,” she said. “It’s complicated.”</p><p>“We need to figure out what we’re going to do to help Gosalyn,” Drake said. “I’ve... I’ve got a place set up for her, if you want some time to get back on your feet.”</p><p>“Erica told me,” Mallory said. “You didn’t even know, and...”</p><p>“She was alone,” Drake said. “They would have put her in a home.”</p><p>“None of your foster parents were terrible,” Mallory said.</p><p>“The last ones were,” he said. “You didn’t know them but they... I mean, let’s just say they didn’t...”</p><p>He looked down at his hands. Mallory put a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“I like Fenton,” she said. “He seems good for you.”</p><p>“He’s... brilliant,” Drake said. “And he cares so much about everyone. There’s... there’s this thing he does with his hand, he’ll be reading some journal article and he traces out the math with his free hand.”</p><p>Mallory laughed softly. </p><p>“I was so scared they were going to take her from me,” Drake said, his voice barely a whisper. “She’s been through so much, she deserves... she deserves to come home. Whether that’s with me or with you, she—”</p><p>“It’s with you,” Mallory said. “I’m not in any position to take care of her right now, or for the foreseeable future. And you and Fenton already love her so much.”</p><p>“I want you to be a part of her life,” Drake said.</p><p>“I want that too,” Mallory said. “But in case you haven’t noticed, my life fell into a hole not too long ago. My work is gone, my home is gone, and I have to wait until Taurus’ trial is over before I can bury my husband.”</p><p>He nodded. “I know.”</p><p>“And Erica already asked Gosalyn what she wants,” Mallory said. </p><p>He paused. “She did?”</p><p>“It’s standard procedure, actually,” Mallory said. “I got asked the same question when Mom and Dad...”</p><p>“I didn’t know,” Drake said. “But I was still an egg when that happened. What... what happened to Dad?”</p><p>“I... I’m not sure,” she said. “We were told it was a lab accident, but after what happened... considering they just kept coming back for it...”</p><p>“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing,” Drake said. “You know, I bet Fenton and the others would be willing to—”</p><p>“I think it’s time to let it go,” Mallory said. “Enough people have died over it already.”</p><p>Drake nodded. “Okay. Hey, Fenton’s mom is making dinner tonight, if you want to come over.”</p><p>“That... that sounds nice,” she said. “I’ll be there.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. My Brothers in Arms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>"And though they did hurt me so bad<br/>In the fear and alarm<br/>You did not desert me<br/>My brothers in arms"<br/>— Dire Straits, "Brothers In Arms"</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Drake and Mallory got to the house and Fenton opened the door for them.</p><p>“Hey, Fen,” Drake said, kissing his cheek.</p><p>“Hey,” Fenton said. “Come on in.”</p><p>The house was packed. Gandra and Gyro were on the couch working with some kind of circuit board. The kids were running in and out of the back bedroom (Mallory wasn’t sure of all of their names yet, and the triplets all rhymed and...), and Della, Donald, and Launchpad were setting the table. Fenton’s mother was in the kitchen and slapped Det. Falco’s hand away from a pot. </p><p>“I thought you said this was a family dinner,” Mallory said to Drake.</p><p>“Yeah, I didn’t know Gandra and Gyro would be here either, but I’m not gonna kick ‘em out,” Drake said. </p><p>“I gotta help M’ma, dinner will be ready soon,” Fenton said, walking back to the kitchen.</p><p>Mallory blinked.</p><p>“Well, this is the family,” Drake said.</p><p>“A-all of them?” she asked. </p><p>Drake nodded. “Every once in a while, Scrooge comes.”</p><p>“Scrooge... McDuck.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Mallory paused.</p><p>“How..?”</p><p>“After I got my cast off, every other week I’d come over for dinner,” Drake said. “Pretty soon we had Gosalyn, and she’d invite the Sabrewings and Webby, and then the triplets started coming, and it just kind of snowballed from there. Fenton and his mom cook and everyone else helps with everything else.”</p><p>Mallory looked around the room. “This... this is your family?”</p><p>“<em>Our </em> family,” Drake said. “You go, my job is keeping Jon out of the kitchen.”</p><p>He walked away and Mallory paused before going over to Gandra and Gyro. Gandra waved and Gyro stared intently at the circuit board. Mallory held out her hand.</p><p>“Hi, I’m—”</p><p>“Dr. Starling!” Gandra said, shaking her hand. “I’m Gandra Dee.”</p><p>“Right, you made the nano suits,” Mallory said. “Those are <em> incredibly </em> impressive.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Gandra said. “Oh, and this is Dr. Gearloose, though, ah... I think you’ve, uh... met.”</p><p>“Dr. Starling,” Gyro said, turning the board over a few times in his hands.</p><p>“Dr. Gearloose,” she said. “So, you’re... you’re with SHUSH now?”</p><p>“Nah,” he said, finally looking up. “No, I think... I’m busy enough with my work at McDuck labs, and... and I know what I’m supposed to be doing. I’ll still support Gizmoduck, but I’m not their guy.”</p><p>“I don’t blame you,” Mallory said. “For what happened.”</p><p>“It does mean that SHUSH needs a lead scientist for JDI,” he continued. “And Gandra here is great to work with.”</p><p>“It wasn’t your fault Jim died,” she said.</p><p>Gyro paused. Gandra gently took the tools and circuit board out of his hands.</p><p>“I know it’s not,” Gyro said. “But it <em> is </em> my fault that you had to.”</p><p>“Maybe,” she said. “But after all of this, I think I’m going to try not holding on to grudges. What are you working on?”</p><p>“This—” Gyro snatched the circuit board back “—is a circuit board.”</p><p>Gandra and Mallory looked at each other and laughed.</p><p>After dinner, Mallory volunteered to help with the dishes. Fenton joined her at the sink.</p><p>“I’ll wash, you dry?” she offered.</p><p>“Sure,” he said, grabbing a towel. “Dish soap’s under the sink.”</p><p>Fenton looked back at Drake and his mother.</p><p>“Strange to see them talking without arguing,” Fenton said.</p><p>“Is it?” she asked.</p><p>“Yeah,” Fenton said. “They got into a few good, knock-down, drag-outs when we first started dating, and then later when he found Gosalyn. I love your brother, but he’s got an ego the size of a planet, and M’ma... well, <em> ella habla sin pelos en la lengua</em>.”</p><p>Mallory paused. “Sorry?”</p><p>“...Oh, I’m sorry,” Fenton said. “I shouldn’t have...”</p><p>“It’s okay,” she said. “Mom never really spoke Spanish around the house, and by the time I was able to take it in school, enough had happened that I wasn’t interested. I wish I had, though. I wish... I wish I could have that for Gosalyn.”</p><p>Fenton nodded. “I’ve been teaching Drake a little. I said he didn’t have to, but he told me that he wanted to tell me how he feels in as many languages as I can understand and that Spanish was easier to learn than C++.”</p><p>“Oh, <em> god</em>, don’t talk to me about C++,” Mallory said, laughing. “Only reason I passed was because there was a Computer Science major who had a crush on my roommate.”</p><p>“I didn’t do too bad with my in-major stuff,” Fenton said. “It was the gen ed courses. I took ‘History of Opera’ for my art requirement because M’ma really likes Zarzuela, which is this genre of Spanish-language opera. I figured between that and Wagner, I had it down. Do you know how many Baroque Operas there are?”</p><p>“I have a feeling you do,” Mallory said.</p><p>“Too many,” Fenton said. “And they’re <em> all </em> Greek and Roman mythology.”</p><p>Mallory looked back at everyone in the living room. </p><p>“So this is... this is the family,” she said.</p><p>“Yeah,” Fenton said. “Mr. McDuck’s kids have that effect on people. There’s more of course, but—”</p><p>“There’s <em> more</em>?”</p><p>“Sure,” Fenton said. “Donald and Della have cousins. Mrs. Beakley is Webby’s grandmother, that’s the kid in the pink. There’s Manny, the headless manhorse; he works in the lab with me and Gyro. Penny is Della’s roommate from the moon—”</p><p>“Okay, I’m going to stop you there,” Mallory said. “I... I don’t—”</p><p>“Of course you do,” Fenton said.</p><p>She paused. “And how do you justify that?”</p><p>He shrugged. “None of us fit in anywhere else.”</p><p>Fenton’s mother put a hand on Mallory’s shoulder. “Can I borrow you for a moment?”</p><p>“Um...” She looked to Fenton.</p><p>“It’s fine,” he said, smiling. “I got this.”</p><p>Mallory dried off her hands and went with the other woman.</p><p>“Oh, Drake told me about the promotion,” she said. “Congrats.”</p><p>Captain Cabrera smiled. “Thank you. In some ways, I couldn’t have done it without you.”</p><p>“I guess,” Mallory said.</p><p>“Where have you been staying?” Capt. Cabrera asked.</p><p>“Oh,” Mallory said. “Yeah, my mom has an apartment in one of those assisted living communities. I’ve been with her, trying to get everything in order for when she has to... well, you know.”</p><p>Capt. Cabrera nodded. “And what about when she does leave?”</p><p>“I... you know, I hadn’t really thought about that,” Mallory said.</p><p>“Right,” Capt. Cabrera said. “So you’re going to stay with me in Fenton’s old room.”</p><p>“Wait, what?”</p><p>“You need a place to stay and someone who isn’t going to treat you the way your mother did,” Capt. Cabrera said. “And I’m not exactly doing great at the whole ‘empty nest’ thing— Fenton only <em> just </em> moved out and he’s not much younger than Drake is. Plus, I’m guessing you’ve been pretty alone the past few years.”</p><p>“I... yeah,” Mallory said. “Thank you, I... I’m not sure what to say.”</p><p>She put a hand on Mallory’s shoulder. “You and your brother need time and space to heal. But I also know what it’s like to lose a husband. Maybe not the way you did but...”</p><p>Mallory nodded. “Thank you.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Fenton joined Drake on the apartment couch. Drake put his arm around Fenton’s shoulders.</p><p>“Gosalyn went down okay?” Drake asked.</p><p>“Yeah,” Fenton said. “It’ll be a minor miracle if she sleeps through the night.”</p><p>“It’ll be a minor miracle if <em> any </em>of us sleep through the night,” Drake muttered. </p><p>The TV switched to a rerun of <em> Darkwing Duck </em> and Drake turned it off. Fenton looked at him.</p><p>“Do you really want to ask that?” Drake said.</p><p>“I know the answer,” he said. “I have a hard time with his voice, actually.”</p><p>Drake nodded. “Because of the suit?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Drake pulled him close, kissing the top of his head.</p><p>“Why does it feel like this?” Drake asked. “He tried to kill us. More than once.”</p><p>“Because he saved her,” Fenton said. “Because he loved her.”</p><p>“Maybe,” Drake said, sighing. “I never hated him, not like he hated me.”</p><p>Fenton nodded. “I get that it’s complicated for you. I just... he almost killed me.”</p><p>“I know,” Drake said. “By the way, I got you something.”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>Drake took a small box out from under the couch.</p><p>“I’ve had it for a while, actually, just waiting for the right time,” he said.</p><p>Fenton opened the box. In it was a two-tone gold ring with a half-carat diamond at the center.</p><p>“Drake,” he breathed. “I don’t know what to say.”</p><p>“Say yes,” Drake said. He knelt down in front of the couch. “Fen, I don’t know how long we have. Probably not as long as we want. But watching Jim and Mallory and Gosalyn go through all of this... I don’t want to spend a minute longer not being married to you than I have to.”</p><p>“This is what you were talking with M’ma about,” Fenton said.</p><p>“Asked her permission and everything,” Drake said. “Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera, will you marry me?”</p><p>“Yes,” he said. “Yes!”</p><p>Fenton threw his arms around Drake’s shoulders and kissed him.</p><p>“Wait,” Fenton said. “You’ve had this ring for a while, when..?”</p><p>“When you were in the hospital,” Drake said. “I decided to marry you when you came out of surgery and they said you might not wake up. I decided that if you did wake up and you didn’t... and you didn’t absolutely hate me, I’d marry you. And if you did hate me, I’d try and convince you anyways. Look, I can’t promise a lot. This is... we’re jumping off a skyscraper here. And I don’t know what’s going to happen on the way down.”</p><p>Fenton took the ring and put it on. He kissed Drake again.</p><p>“It’s a good thing I’m here to catch you, then,” Fenton said.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: Thank you for reading! There’s another one shot coming up next, and then I’m going to have to take a bit of a break before the next parts. Here’s a few things coming up!</p><ul>
<li>Darkwing’s Catwoman makes her grand debut</li>
<li>Fenton uses some special parts to make a robot friend</li>
<li><i>“Did we just... lose?” Drake asked.</i></li>
<li>Lena makes a call</li>
<li>The real reason Donald gave up Paperinik</li>
<li>The Fendrake wedding goes a lot smoother than the reception</li>
<li>The Moon Lullaby</li>
</ul>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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